Jean Clair

The Great Parade: Portrait of the Artist as Clown is a spectacular international exhibition featuring masterpieces that explore the fascination the circus has held for artists from the 18th century to the present. The catalogue brings together nearly 200 works - paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures and videos - from Watteau and Chardin to Boltanski and Cindy Sherman, via Tiepolo, Goya, Daumier, Courbet, Seurat, Ensor, Rouault, Léger, Klee, Chagall and Picasso, among others.

Hardcover | 424 pages
Publication Date: 2004
Available in French only

Andrea Kunard

The variety, width and breadth of photographic culture in Canada is extraordinary, and Canadian photographers are among the most prominent and influential in the world today. From classic street photography, documentary images and landscape imagery, to experimental abstractions and conceptual work, photography is an area of particularly rich exploration in our country. Photography in Canada 1960–2000 is the fifth in a series that presents the Gallery's Photographs Collection, and this catalogue is the first to be published by the newly established Canadian Photography Institute (CPI).

Featured artists: Raymonde April, Roy Arden, Barbara Astman, Claire Beaugrand-Champagne, Pierre Boogaerts, Robert Bourdeau, Jim Breukelman, Robert Burley, Edward Burtynsky, Michel Campeau, Serge Clément, Lynne Cohen, Sorel Cohen, Carole Condé, Marlene Creates, Donigan Cumming, Walter Curtin, Jack Dale, Robert Del Tredici, Stan Denniston, Jennifer Dickson, Lutz Dille, Evergon, Charles Gagnon, Pierre Gaudard, General Idea, Tom Gibson, Lorraine Gilbert, Rafael Goldchain, Rodney Graham, Ted Grant, Angela Grauerholz, Clara Gutsche, Dave Heath, Fred Herzog, Hubert Hohn, Thaddeus Holownia, George Hunter, Geoffrey James, Yousuf Karsh, Holly King, Suzy Lake, Michel Lambeth, Ken Lum, Chris Lund, Arnaud Maggs, John Massey, John Max, Susan McEachern, David McMillan, N.E. Thing Co. (NETCO), Shelley Niro, Nina Raginsky, John Reeves, Mark Ruwedel, Jacye Salloum, Michael Semak, Orest Semchishen, Sandra Semchuk, Michael Snow, George Steeves, Gabor Szilasi, Sam Tata, Jeff Thomas, Diana Thorneycroft, Serge Tousignant, Larry Towell, Bill Vazan, Jeff Wall, Ian Wallace, and Jin-me Yoon.

Paperback | 176 pages
20.5 x 26.5 cm (8 x 10 ½ in.)
Publication Date: 2016

Lori Pauli, Marta Weiss, Ann Thomas, Karen Henry

Since the earliest days of photography, artists have directed models posing before the camera and, through the use of theatrical props, costumes, and lighting, have created "staged" photographs that tell a story. Acting the Part is the first major history of this enduring and highly creative branch of photography. Beautiful illustrations range from the earliest salted paper prints and daguerreotypes to today's digitally manipulated images. The book also presents 57 short biographies of the genre's leading practitioners, including Oscar Rejlander, Julia Margaret Cameron, Lewis Carroll, Man Ray, Duane Michals, Les Krims, Jeff Wall, Yasumasa Morimura and Wang Qingsong, among others.

Softcover | 176 pages
28.5 x 23.5 x 1.5 cm (11.2 x 9.3 x 0.6 in.)
Publication Date: 2006

This notecard features the painting La roue II (1956) by Jean Paul Riopelle (1923-2002).

Card dimensions: 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in.)
Blank inside. Envelope included.

In the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.

René Villeneuve

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Laurent Amiot redefined religious, domestic and commemorative silversmithing, turning it into an art form. Produced in conjunction with the first retrospective devoted to one of Canada’s finest silversmiths, this stunning, richly-illustrated catalogue explores the quality and importance of Amiot’s oeuvre while providing a fresh perspective on the history of the society he helped shape and define.

Hardcover | 256 pages
26 x 31 cm (10.2 x 12.2 in.) 
Publication Date: 2018

René Villeneuve

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Laurent Amiot redefined religious, domestic and commemorative silversmithing, turning it into an art form. Produced in conjunction with the first retrospective devoted to one of Canada’s finest silversmiths, this stunning, richly-illustrated catalogue explores the quality and importance of Amiot’s oeuvre while providing a fresh perspective on the history of the society he helped shape and define.

Hardcover | 256 pages
26 x 31 cm (10.2 x 12.2 in.) 
Publication Date: 2018

By Katerina Atanassova, with contributions by Krista Broeckx, Tobi Bruce, Adam Gopnik, Anna Hudson, Laurier Lacroix, Loren Lerner, Tracey Lock, Gerta Moray, Julie Nash, and Sandra Paikowsky.

Le Canada et l’impressionnisme. Nouveaux horizons casts off the enduring notions associated with French Impressionism by shedding light on the contributions of Canadian artists to this widespread movement. The first of its kind, this publication adds a new chapter to the history of World Impressionism as it positions the work of the Canadian Impressionists within the cosmopolitan milieus of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Progressing from Impressionistic renderings of contemporary life to interpretations of reality through the lenses of Fauvism, Post-Impressionism, and subsequent modes of expression, Impressionism in Canada evolved into a form of modernity tailored to the spirit of a young nation.

Hardcover | 296 pages (290 illustrations)
23 x 28 cm (9 x 11 in.) 
Publication Date: 2020

Erika Dolphin
with Jonathan L. Meakins

Le cosmos des collectionneurs. La Collection d’estampes Meakins–McClaran provides a glimpse into the making of what is, undoubtedly, the foremost private collection of 16th and 17th-century Dutch and Flemish prints in Canada. While that is the strength of the collection, there is also a joyful touch of eclecticism reflecting the Renaissance interests of the collectors Dr. Jonathan Meakins and Dr. Jacqueline McClaran.

In this beautiful and fully illustrated catalogue, Dr. Meakins takes us through the collection’s history, which began forty years ago in Paris following an afternoon in a room full of prints by Camille Pissarro at the Grand Palais. He reflects upon how a collection is never static; it ebbs and flows much like life. The other essay by Erika Dolphin, a personal account of her exploration of the collection, examines the flourishing of images of landscape in northern Europe and illustrates how art in the form of a humble print can lead us to reflect upon the myriad wonders of life.

Softcover | 216 pages
24.5 x 30 cm (9.6 x 11.8 in.)
Publication Date: 2021

Martina Weinhart

With contributions by Rebecca Herlemann, Ruth Phillips, Carmen Robertson, Jeff Thomas, Georgiana Uhlaryik, Reneée van der Avoird, Martina Weinhart and Interviews with Lisa Jackson and Caroline Monnet

In the early 20th century, artists such as Emily Carr, Tom Thomson, and members of what would become the Group of Seven, transformed Post-Impressionism techniques into exciting new ways of interpreting the Canadian landscape.

Challenging existing traditions, they left major cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and ventured deep into the Canadian wilderness. Often remaining in the bush for weeks on end, they reimagined the natural world using bold colours, stylized forms, and dynamic brushwork, producing vibrant modernist works that would define Canada and Canadian art for decades to come.

Premiering at Frankfurt’s Schirn Kunsthalle, Magnetic North features 87 works of art, including 23 works from the National Gallery of Canada. The exhibition also comprises five films, including two by contemporary Indigenous artists: How a People Live, a documentary by filmmaker Lisa Jackson and Mobilize, a short film by artist Caroline Monnet.

Magnetic North was organized by the SCHIRN KUNSTHALLE FRANKFURT, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the National Gallery of Canada, with the generous support of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Hardcover | 240 pages
23.5 x 27.5 cm (9.25 x 10.82 in)
Publication Date: 2021

Pierre Théberge, Jean Clair 

On the heels of the Roaring Twenties, the 1930s, which spanned from the economic crisis of 1929 to the outbreak of the Second World War, was a dark decade. Beyond similar governmental mechanisms, these regimes shared an ideology: the will to create what they called the "New Man." This decade began with a more or less innocent dream of the theme of the original egg, germination, the harmonious growth of a fabric both biological and social, but ended with the nightmarish discovery of corpses in the concentration camps by the armies of liberation in 1945. 

Softcover | 396 pages 
23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 in.) 
Publication date: 2008

Denise Leclerc 

Les années soixante au Canada follows the trends in Canadian artistic production during that decade which tested the conventional boundaries of artistic disciplines; photographic works also testify to the experimentation and eclectisicm that characterize Canadian photography. Nearly 180 featured works by Canadian artists pinpoint the diversity of artistic expression throughout this remarkably prolific period. 

Paper | 188 pages
23 x 28 cm (9 x 11 in.) 
Publication Date: 2005 
Only available in French.

Jonathan Shaughnessy, Heather Anderson, Andrea Kunard, Christine Lalonde, Ann Thomas

Les bâtisseurs. La biennale canadienne 2012 is the National Gallery of Canada’s second exhibition of new Canadian art acquired over the past two years, and features over 100 paintings, sculptures, drawings, videos and multimedia installations created by more than forty artists. In placing emergent practices alongside long-established Canadian artists who have been instrumental in “building” a context for Canadian art today, Builders offers the opportunity to appreciate the range of aesthetic accomplishment in this country.

FEATURED ARTISTS: Vikky Alexander, David Altmejd, Benoit Aquin, Melanie Authier, Jim Breukelman, Michel de Broin, Edward Burtynsky, Lynne Cohen, Chris Cran, Max Dean, Susan Dobson, Marcel Dzama, Brendan Fernandes, Robert Fones, Will Gorlitz, Terence Gower, David Ross Harper, Faye Heavyshield, Dil Hildebrand, David Hoffos, Simon Hughes, Elisapee Ishulutaq, Sarah Anne Johnson, Brian Jungen, Myfawny MacLeod, Qavavau Manumie, Lynne Marsh, Scott McFarland, Jason McLean, Michael Merrill, David Merritt, Evan Penny, Sandy Plotnikoff, Jon Pylypchuk, Leslie Reid, David K. Ross, Mark Ruwedel, Michael Snow, Mark Soo, Derek Sullivan, Ron Terada, Joanne Tod, Stephen Waddell, Daniel Young and Christian Giroux.

Paper | 182 pages
23 x 30.5 cm (9 x 12 in.) 
Publication Date: 2012

Bonnie Devine

Daphne Odjig's contributions to art in Canada began with her early drawings documenting the lives of indigenous peoples in northern Manitoba. Her work has since become recognized internationally and she has received numerous honours and awards in acknowledgment of her stature. Les Dessins et Peintures de Daphne Odjig is an important contribution to the analysis, understanding and celebration of Daphne Odjig's magnificent paintings and drawings, and serves to establish her place among the greatest artists in Canada.

Paperback | 141 pages
Publication date: 2009

Douglas E. Schoenherr

The David Lemon Collection represents a comprehensive selection of British prints, comprising over 200 works from 1820 to 1955. Lines of Enquiry illustrates 89 original and reproductive etchings by remarkable British artists such as William Blake, Samuel Palmer, Laura Knight and Graham Sutherland.

Paper | 180 pages
Publication Date: 1997

Douglas E.Schoenherr

The David Lemon Collection represents a comprehensive selection of British prints, comprising over 200 works from 1820 to 1955. Lines of Enquiry illustrates 89 original and reproductive etchings by remarkable British artists such as William Blake, Samuel Palmer, Laura Knight and Graham Sutherland.

Paper | 180 pages
Publication Date: 1997

René Villeneuve

George Ramsay, Ninth Earl of Dalhousie, served as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (1816-1820), then as Governor-in-Chief of British North America (1820-1828). During his 12 years in Canada, Dalhousie both commissioned and collected a stunning variety of artworks. Featuring some 130 works from his collection, this exhibition catalogue underscores the patron's unique point of view and his influence on the development of art in Canada. Dalhousie's original eye and diverse interests are highlighted by the array of watercolours and wash drawings, engravings and lithographs, silhouettes, architectural drawings, models, and decorative pieces.

Paperback | 200 pages
Publication Date: 2008

René Villeneuve

George Ramsay, Ninth Earl of Dalhousie, served as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (1816-1820), then as Governor-in-Chief of British North America (1820-1828). During his 12 years in Canada, Dalhousie both commissioned and collected a stunning variety of artworks. Featuring some 130 works from his collection, this exhibition catalogue underscores the patron's unique point of view and his influence on the development of art in Canada. Dalhousie's original eye and diverse interests are highlighted by the array of watercolours and wash drawings, engravings and lithographs, silhouettes, architectural drawings, models, and decorative pieces.

Paperback | 200 pages
Publication Date: 2008

Winning Title (Pictorial), The Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, 2018

Winning Title (Art Books), Silver: ICMA Award, 2019

Ann Thomas and John McElhone

This lavish publication celebrates fifty years of collecting photographs at the National Gallery of Canada. When the NGC began acquiring photos in 1967, few museums viewed the medium as fine art. Thanks to the passion and dedication of early supporters, a comprehensive collection has taken shape over the past half century. Drawn from one of the world’s most significant photographs holdings, The Extended Moment highlights the collection’s rich diversity, chronicling its formative years and exploring how the technical photographic process has evolved.

Hardcover | 336 pages
23 x 29 cm (9 x 11.4 in.)
Publication Date: 2018

Cyndie Campbell

A selection of 33 letters from artist M.C. Escher to his son George, dating from 1958, when George Escher moved to Canada from the Netherlands, until 1972, when M.C. Escher died. The letters range over many subjects – art, books, events, and personalities, as well as family matters – and they offer a distinctly personal insight into the life and mind of this artist, whose meticulously wrought images continue to intrigue and delight the public. The publication includes colour illustrations of art by M.C. Escher mentioned in the text, as well as family photographs.

Paperback | 151 pages
Publication Date: 2013
Only available in French

Martina Weinhart

With contributions by Rebecca Herlemann, Ruth Phillips, Carmen Robertson, Jeff Thomas, Georgiana Uhlaryik, Reneée van der Avoird, Martina Weinhart and Interviews with Lisa Jackson and Caroline Monnet

In the early 20th century, artists such as Emily Carr, Tom Thomson, and members of what would become the Group of Seven, transformed Post-Impressionism techniques into exciting new ways of interpreting the Canadian landscape.

Challenging existing traditions, they left major cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and ventured deep into the Canadian wilderness. Often remaining in the bush for weeks on end, they reimagined the natural world using bold colours, stylized forms, and dynamic brushwork, producing vibrant modernist works that would define Canada and Canadian art for decades to come.

Premiering at Frankfurt’s Schirn Kunsthalle, Magnetic North features 87 works of art, including 23 works from the National Gallery of Canada. The exhibition also comprises five films, including two by contemporary Indigenous artists: How a People Live, a documentary by filmmaker Lisa Jackson and Mobilize, a short film by artist Caroline Monnet.

Magnetic North was organized by the SCHIRN KUNSTHALLE FRANKFURT, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the National Gallery of Canada, with the generous support of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Hardcover | 240 pages
23.5 x 27.5 cm (9.25 x 10.82 in)
Publication Date: 2021