Fonds SC110 - Florence Vale fonds

Identity area

Reference code

CA ON00012 SC110

Title

Florence Vale fonds

Date(s)

  • 1909-2006 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

64 cm of textual records
384 photographs
659 slides and negatives
97 drawings
5 etchings
1 videocassette
6 audio reels
7 dolls
4 box constructions
3 hooked rugs

Context area

Name of creator

(1909-2003)

Biographical history

Florence Vale, Canadian artist, was born on April 18, 1909 in llford, Essex, England and died on July 23, 2003 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her family immigrated to Toronto two years after her birth, where she grew up with an interest in music. She married artist Albert Franck on June 8, 1929, and together they bought a house on Hazelton Avenue in Toronto which became a centre for artists, writers, musicians, and critics. Florence Vale was the mother of two children, Trudy (who died as an infant) and Anneke.
Florence Vale began to paint with her husband’s paints and brushes in the late 1940’s with no previous artistic training – only what she had learned under the influence of her husband and the artists who visited her home. Her art was influenced by Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, and the works of Paul Klee. After her husband’s death in 1973, Florence Vale continued to express her artistic ability with oil paints, collages, and ink, also including her own poetry in some of her works. Many of her works, most prominently after the death of her husband, were erotic, while still viewed by critics as keeping a whimsical, innocent tone. Her art appeared in exhibitions throughout Ontario, with exhibitions also in Quebec and New York, U.S.A. She was associated with the Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto.

Archival history

Following the death of Florence Vale, the materials now constituting the Florence Vale fonds were held by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Gadacsy until 2006.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Transferred to the AGO by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Gadacsy in 2006.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of records relating to the life and work of Florence Vale. Textual materials include correspondence, records of exhibitions, and documentation of her artwork. Visual materials include photographic documentation of the artist, her family, friends, and her work; drawings, etchings, rugs, and box construction art pieces and dolls. Also includes are media materials in the form of audio reels and a videocassette.
Contains series:

  1. Documentation of Artwork
  2. Publicity Materials
  3. Correspondence
  4. Photographs
  5. Drawings and Etchings
  6. Poems by Florence Vale and Others
  7. Artist’s bookworks
  8. Audio reels of the singing and poetry readings of Florence Vale
  9. Video Documentary on Florence Vale
  10. Dolls and Box Constructions
  11. Rugs

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

System of arrangement

Arrangement has been performed by the archivist following the original order of the creator wherever possible. File distinctions are primarily those divisions in which the records came into the archives.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. Access to Special Collections is by appointment only. Please contact the reference desk for more information.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright is held by the heirs of Florence Vale. Copyright belonging to other parties, such as that of photographs, may still rest with the creator of these items.
It is the researcher’s responsibility to obtain permission to publish any part of the fonds.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Finding aids

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Description control area

    Description identifier

    Institution identifier

    Art Gallery of Ontario

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Final

    Level of detail

    Partial

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    August 8, 2013

    Language(s)

    • English

    Script(s)

      Sources

      Accession area