Fonds consists of records of the Canadian Society of Graphic Art including correspondence and memoranda (2 series); incorporation and constitution records (2 series); executive records, including minutes (2 series); financial records; membership records (2 series); exhibition records (2 series); clippings (2 series); subject files (2 series); and a series on the amalgamation of the CSGA with the Society of Canadian Painter-Etchers and Engravers to form the Print and Drawing Council of Canada, n.d., 1911-1981.
Fonds contains photographs of "Thanksgiving Day 1917 for W.W.A" [probably William W. Alexander]; photographs of George M. Wrong, Toronto; Prof. Pelham Edgar; art students [probably Art Students League, Toronto], 1890's; a reproduction of a aquatint by Nicholas Hornyansky, "University Campus" [University of Toronto]; two linocuts by F.L. Casey, "Snowing Lake of the Woods", and, "We go North", 1925-1950; and two printing blocks for the crest and the letterhead of the Canadian Society of Graphic Art, n.d.
Canadian Society of Graphic Art : The Canadian Society of Graphic Art developed from the Graphic Arts Club of Toronto, founded in 1904/05 by the printmakers and artist/illustrators C.W. Jefferys, Fred Brigden, Charles Manly, Thomas G. Greene, Albert Robson, John D. Kelly, John W. Beatty and Robert Holmes. The Graphic Arts Club itself developed from the Toronto Arts Students League founded in 1886 by Jefferys, Brigden and W.W. Alexander, and others.
The Graphic Arts Club adopted the name the Society of Graphic Art in 1914 and in 1923 added the adjective "Canadian" to reflect its national membership. Its members were largely professional artists working in the field of commercial art, and it interpreted graphic art to include wood engraving, lithography engraving, etching, dry-point, mezzo-tint, aqua-tint, mono-type, drawing of illustrated matter, book decorating, poster making, and all branches of commercial art and textile designing. It was incorporated in 1933 as the Canadian Society of Graphic Art. Its aims were set out in its constitution as the encouragement and fostering of original graphic art, the provision of facilities for the practical study thereof, the dissemination of useful information in the form of lectures and working classes, and the holding of an annual exhibition.
In 1976 the Canadian Society of Graphic Art amalgamated with the Society of Canadian Painter-Etchers and Engravers to become the Print and Drawing Council of Canada.
