James Metcalfe MacCallum (1860–1943) was a Canadian

ophthalmologist Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

and one of the most important patrons of

Tom Thomson Thomas John Thomson (August 5, 1877July 8, 1917) was a Canadian artist active in the early 20th century. During his short career, he produced roughly 400 oil sketches on small wood panels and approximately 50 larger works on canvas. His wo ...

and the

Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an Intergovernmentalism, intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non- ...

Biography

He was born in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, but due to his father, a Methodist minister, being sent to the area, spent part of his early life on the rural shores of

Georgian Bay The Georgian Bay () is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. To its northwest is t ...

and Muskoka. He studied medicine at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

and later earned his doctorate in medicine at the same university. After further training in London and Berlin, he became a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Toronto in 1903. He was affiliated with the

Toronto General Hospital The Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is a major teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the flagship campus of University Health Network (UHN). It is located in the Discovery District of Downtown Toronto along University Avenue (Toronto), ...

and Hospital for Sick Children. He was also an influential member of the

Medical Council of Canada The Medical Council of Canada (MCC; ) is an organization charged with the partial assessment and evaluation of medical graduates and physicians through standardized examination. It grants the qualification called Licentiate of the Medical Council ...

and the

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is the regulatory college for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada. The college issues certificates of registration for all doctors to allow them to practise medicine as well as: monitors ...

. In 1911, he built a cottage on an island in Go Home Bay in Georgian Bay, naming it "West Wind Island". That same year Lawren Harris was staying nearby with Dr. David E. Stanton Wishart, also a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. He would soon meet many of Harris' artist friends, purchasing works from them and inviting them to this cottage to paint. Several took him up on the offer and completed major work at Go Home Bay. This included

J.E.H. Macdonald James Edward Hervey MacDonald (12 May 1873–26 November 1932) was an English-Canadian artist, best known as a member of the Group of Seven (artists), Group of Seven who asserted a distinct national identity combined with a common heritage stem ...

Arthur Lismer Arthur Lismer, LL.D. (27 June 1885 – 23 March 1969) was an English-Canadian painter, member of the Group of Seven and educator. He is known primarily as a landscape painter and for his paintings of ships in dazzle camouflage. Early life ...

, and A.Y. Jackson. When Jackson for want of funds spoke of leaving Canada for greater opportunity, MacCallum offered to pay his expenses for a year so he could stay in Canada and paint. Thomson, always short of money, was also funded for a year by MacCallum. He also used his funds to pay for a quarter of the construction costs of the Studio Building as a permanent workspace for artists in Toronto. When Tom Thomson died, it was MacCallum who paid for the memorial cairn in

Algonquin Park Algonquin Provincial Park is an Ontario provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Addit ...

. MacCallum became close friends with Thomson and the Group of Seven artists. While not painting himself he was a frequent presence at the Studio Building and accompanied members on expeditions north, such as a trip in 1916 with Lawren Harris and his cousin Chester, to fish with Tom Thomson and several important trips made painting the Algoma region with Harris. MacCallum died in 1943 leaving his large art collection to the

National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada (), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's National museums of Canada, national art museum. The museum's building takes up , with of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the List of large ...

. He wished that his cottage would become a permanent setting for painters to stay, but difficulties arose and it passed to his estate from which it was purchased by H. R. Jackman and his wife, Mary. The Dr. James M. MacCallum Papers are in Library and Archives, National Gallery of Canada.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

James Metcalfe MacCallum archival papers
held at th
University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services
at the

, Ottawa, Ontario {{DEFAULTSORT:MacCallum, James 1860 births 1943 deaths Canadian ophthalmologists Canadian art collectors University of Toronto alumni Academic staff of the University of Toronto