Canadian Collection

Founded in 1914, the Art Gallery of Hamilton is the oldest and largest art museum in Southern Ontario with a permanent collection that is recognized as one of the finest in Canada.

On Sunday, June 28, 1914 the Art Gallery of Hamilton opened its doors with an inaugural exhibition of paintings by Hamilton-born artist William Blair Bruce (1859-1906). The 33 works presented in the exhibition included a group of 29 paintings known as the “Bruce Collection” donated to the City of Hamilton by his widow, Caroline Benedicks-Bruce and members of his family.

In late 1886, Bruce settled in Giverny where he produced his earliest Impressionist paintings. During this time, when the Canadian press was calling for “the establishment of a national art imbued with Canadian themes” he painted The Phantom Hunter. From a European perspective, the Canadian subject matter was exotic and appealing, and Bruce’s reputation began to develop.

Permanent collections are complex and amazing things. The ways they are formed, presented, and interpreted all speak of choices—choices made one hundred years ago and yesterday. Whether an artwork was given to us by donation, or purchased, these choices express who we are, and crucially, who we want to be.

The Art Gallery of Hamilton is proud of its collection, while at the same time recognizing that there is still work to be done in accounting for the biases, omissions, and idiosyncrasies of our holdings. Although we aim to have old favourites on view, we are equally committed to bringing lesser-known works and the voices of contemporary artists to the fore, many of whom are grappling with current and pressing social issues.