Nicholas Hornyansky: An Everyday Utility

April 5 - June 14, 2024

Nicholas Hornyansky, Niagara Boat, 1945. Oil on masonite. Bequest from Mrs. N Hornyansky, wife of the artist, 1967.

Nicholas Hornyansky, OSA, RCA (1896-1965), a Hungarian-born artist, passionately advocated for the significance of the arts in Canada, delivering lectures nationwide on their social, political, and economic value. As a member of the Artists Economic Assembly (AEA), he wrote a treatise in which he described art as both an everyday utility and an essential component of the nation’s social fabric, asserting, “...we artists want to become an asset to our country.”

After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest, with further education in Vienna, Munich, Antwerp, and Paris, Hornyansky emigrated to Canada in 1929. Despite the challenges of the Great Depression, he found success travelling across the country, creating detailed foundational sketches for his paintings, etchings, and aquatints that vividly chronicled Canada’s landscapes, architectural landmarks, and people.

In 1978, the Tom Thomson Art Gallery held a major retrospective dedicated to Hornyansky’s career, and it has since acquired one of the largest public collections of his work. This exhibition offers a renewed exploration of his nationalist vision, highlighting his ability to masterfully capture both the heritage and emotional depth of his subjects.

Opening Reception: Saturday April 5, 2025 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm