American Illustration Collection | Academic Newsletter | Seneca Polytechnic

by Sean Hayes, Seneca Libraries

in the June 2019 issue

Seneca Libraries and Seneca’s Independent Illustration program are proud to offer an all-new special collection resource to the Seneca community.

The American Illustration Collection, located at the Seneca@York library, consists of over 3,500 original pieces of artwork by American magazine, book, and newspaper illustrators spanning ca. 1850 to 1950.

The collection includes works intended for event posters, novels, magazine covers, editorial content, and numerous other contexts. Hundreds of well-known and lesser known artists are represented.

This important and sizable new resource comes to Seneca Libraries by way of the Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB), before which time it was curated and cared for by a prominent art collector in New York City. The collection now resides with Seneca Archives and Special Collections, a service of Seneca Libraries that manages Seneca’s documentary heritage and special collections.

“Seneca Libraries is honoured and thrilled to be able to bring this world-class resource to Seneca. This is one of the largest collections of its kind outside of the Cabinet of American Illustration at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.,” noted Seneca’s Archivist Sean Hayes who stewards the works.

JoAnn Purcell, Professor and Program Coordinator, Independent Illustration, was one of several FCAD staff members who worked with Seneca Libraries to bring the illustration collection to Seneca.

“The collection is an extraordinary resource for students, faculty, and alumni, especially for those in illustration, animation, graphic design, and fashion. While you can interact with the collection online and browse by medium, activity, or subject area, even more exciting is the ability to view the actual work and see the historical methods of illustrating, the individual marks made, and the artistic process,” said Purcell.

Interested students, staff, and alumni can view the American Illustration Collection online through Seneca Libraries discovery search or study the works in person by appointment at the Seneca@York library.

Notable mention goes to Lydia Tsai (Metadata Librarian, Seneca Libraries) as well Jaspreet Toor (graduate, Independent Illustration) who both contributed their time to working on the collection.

For more information on this new resource, please contact Sean Hayes, Archivist, at sean.hayes@senecacollege.ca.

View the June 2019 issue of the Academic Newsletter.