Journey to the 1830s
Anne Langton, one of nineteenth century Canada’s foremost landscape artists, lived at Blythe, on the north arm of Sturgeon Lake during the first decades of resettlement in the Kawarthas. A student of Swiss and Italian masters, Langton’s work vividly portrays the landscapes that settlers created as they chopped farms from the forest. Not one to let an aesthetic of the picturesque dictate the form of her work, Anne’s sketches and paintings reflect the rugged countryside, stumps, cabins and camps she knew. Internationally treasured, they define a pivotal period in the history and environment of the Kawarthas.
Predating photography by a generation, Langton’s art provides almost the entire visual record of this era, and her collection’s value to the historical researcher rivals its interest to art enthusiasts. Some of her better known pieces include panoramas of the countryside, numerous views of the Langton Estate at Blythe, Mississauga encampments on the lake, nearby farms, her neighbours at work, and the interior of pioneer homes.
To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the settlement of Fenelon and Verulam Townships, the Fenelon-Verulam 175 Committee put together exhibits detailing the resettlement of the region, with a particular focus on the first generation. They show reproductions of several of Langton’s best known works and two original miniatures, together with personal artifacts and items from Blythe House.
Maryboro Lodge and the Friends of the Fenelon Museum are currently working to return originals of Anne Langton’s art to Fenelon Falls. Preparations are underway for the construction of a climate-controlled Langton Gallery at the rear of Maryboro Lodge, to exhibit Anne’s treasured works.