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ABBOTT, Isabella Mary (Plummer)

Born
Montreal, Quebec, 1890
Died
?, 1955
Biography synopsis
Isabella Mary Abbott was the granddaughter of Sir John Abbott, third Prime Minister of Canada (1891-92). She came from a cultured and wealthy Senneville (Quebec) family. John Bethune Abbott, son of the Prime Minister and possibly Isabella's father or uncle, was himself a landscape painter and the director of the Art Association of Montreal (1900-1919). As a young artist, Abbott exhibited twelve watercolors at the Art Association of Montreal (1919-1925). She also exhibited one oil and one watercolor at the Royal Canadian Academy in 1922 and 1923 before coming to work at the Canadian Handicrafts Guild the following year. In 1929, she left the Guild to marry Mr. Plummer from Toronto. Their son is Christopher Plummer, the well-known actor. In the 1950's, Abbott worked again at the Guild until her death in 1955.
Media used
Painting
Watercolour
Education
Art Association of Montreal (under William Brymner, Randolph Hewton)
Private study (under Wilfred M. Barnes, Montreal)
Private study (under Maurice Cullen, Sketch Class)
Memberships
Canadian Handicrafts Guild
File & Archive locations
Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
"Art Association's Spring Exhibition: Private View Ushered in Showing of Representative Assemblage of Work." Gazette (Montreal) 3 Apr. 1925
"Fewer Paintings, Higher Standards: Thirty-Eighth Annual Exhibition of Art Association of Montreal." Gazette (Montreal) 1 Apr. 1921
"High Standard Set by R.C.A. Pictures: Forty-Fourth Exhibition Opened With Private View Last Night." Gazette (Montreal) 17 Nov. 1922: 9
"Le canadian handicrafts guild: Interessante exposition de travaux domestiques." La Presse (Montreal) 20 Oct. 1925: 4
"Meritorious Work At Spring Exhibit: Mural Paintings in R.C.A. Competition Part of Entries at Art Gallery." Gazette (Montreal) 28 Mar. 1924
"Montreal Artists Well Represented: High Standard Set at Spring Exhibition of Art Association." Gazette (Montreal) 16 Mar. 1923: 6
Bertrand, Magdeleine. Les Femmes artistes du Québec de 1875 à 1925 Montreal: Université de Montréal, 1990
Harper, J. Russell. Early Painters and Engravers in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1970
McLeod, Ellen Mary Easton. In Good Hands: The Women of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild Ottawa: Carleton University Press, 1999
McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Formerly Art Association of Montreal: Spring Exhibitions, 1880-1970 Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 01, 1921) "Fewer Paintings, Higher Standards. Thirty-Eighth Annual Exhibition of Art Association of Montreal. Private View Last Night."  Gazette (Montreal)  April 01, 1921.  p.11.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 21, 1922) "Exhibits Drawn From Wide Area. Growing Importance of Spring Art Exhibition More Generally Recognized."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 21, 1922.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 16, 1922) "High Standard Set by R.C.A. Pictures. Forty-Fourth Exhibition Opened With Private View Last Night."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 17, 1922.  p.9.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 16, 1923) "Montreal Artists Well Represented. High Standard Set at Spring Exhibition of Art Association."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 16, 1923.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, November 22, 1923) Hector Charlesworth.  "Royal Canadian Academy. Probably the Finest Display in its History With Montreal Much to the Fore."  Toronto Saturday Night  December 01, 1923.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 27, 1924) "Meritorious Work at Spring Exhibit. Mural Paintings in R.C.A. Competition Part of Entries at Art Gallery."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 28, 1924.  p.15.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 26, 1925) "Art Association's Spring Exhibition."  Gazette (Montreal)  April 03, 1925.  p.6.   Full-text pdf

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