Imagining the art of French Canada: The 1929 Exhibition of Canadian Handicraft

In the years following the First World War concerns over a perceived cultural void in Canada, and a desire to create a strong sense of nationalism within the country, encouraged many Canadians to promote a distinctly Canadian cultural identity that included an official history of Canadian art. French Canadian art was one particular aspect of this official history, and French Canadian folklore came to serve as a vehicle in the search for an authentic cultural experience.; This thesis examines the history of art in Canada that developed following the First World War, how the art of French Canada was categorized within that history, and how the significance of French Canadian art was essentially relegated to the past. I argue that the 1929 Exhibition of Canadian Handicraft , held at the Canadian National Railway's Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario under the auspices of the Art Association of Ottawa, was an early expression of that history and categorization. I also argue that this exhibition was an important moment in a growing interest in French Canada that significantly defined how French Canadian art and culture would be represented within the developing history of art in Canada. This interest was reflected in the collaborative efforts of the National Museum and the National Gallery of Canada in the organization of this exhibition.