Norfolk County’s Heritage and Culture team is trying to track down the art of William Edgar Cantelon.
The new initiative entitled “The Cantelon Project” is looking to document and establish an inventory of works by the renowned Norfolk County artist.
The project record Cantelon’s offerings held in private and public collections, but also the oral histories attached to these works, where available.
Norfolk County has released a brief history of Cantelon:
Cantelon lived from 1866 to 1950 and recognized the value of the everyday. He painted portraits, flora and fauna, landscapes, and historical landmarks. It is estimated that he created more than 8,000 paintings, many of which depicted historical Norfolk County landmarks and people.
In the 1940s, his collection of historic Norfolk County paintings came to the attention of the Public Archives of Canada. They were very anxious to purchase the collection but Cantelon refused to allow it to leave the area, even though the sale would have eased his financial burdens. The Norfolk Historical Society embarked on a fundraising drive to purchase the collection. It began in 1945 and by the end of 1947, the community had contributed $2,000. In order to have the $3,500 required to purchase the collection, Norfolk County Council granted the remaining $1,500. Cantelon wanted to ensure that his paintings stayed in Norfolk as a legacy to future generations. Today, the collection is housed at the Norfolk County Archives.