Figure Study/composition
1992.11
Pegi Nicol MacLeod’s death coincided with the beginning of
a new era in Canadian art. Within two months of her death,
Vincent Massey became chair of the Royal Commission on
National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences
(Massey Commission), whose recommendations led to a
new structure for government support for the arts in
Canada. In 1955, Alan Jarvis became the new Director of
the National Gallery of Canada, who promoted Modern art,
and championed an exhibition that measured the domestic
reputation against the international and dominant standard
of Modernism. For many Canadians, New York set the
international standard. Timing is one of the ironies of
MacLeod’s career. She left Canada too early to imprint
herself on the history of Canadian art and died too soon to
take advantage of her exposure to Modern art in New York.