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                                                           News Release
January 17, 2005



                              Capture the feel of old Toronto
Discover old Toronto through the eyes of one of its most influential 19th century citizens ­ John
George Howard. Opening at the Market Gallery on February 5, The Textures of a Lost Toronto:
John Howard's Documentary Art & Drawings, 1830s ­ 1880s transports visitors to pre-industrial
Toronto where grand structures rose from muddy streets and the city cemented its place as the
province's leading community.

Howard helped build and define the early city and this exhibit is a testament to his most prolific
period. A rare collection of original art and artifacts illustrate both Howard's vision and record.
Architectural plans, maps, models and watercolours portray the Georgian urban environment of
a lost Toronto.

Today, little of Howard's work survives. A notable exception is his home in High Park. Colborne
Lodge, built circa 1837, is now a City of Toronto Museum and an important example of a
Regency Picturesque architecture.

The exhibition draws from the collections of the City of Toronto, the Toronto Public Library,
the Archives of Ontario and the National Archives of Canada. It represents the first time that
all of this material has been exhibited in one place, although some paintings were displayed in
Toronto's earliest art shows in the 19th century.

Textures of a Lost Toronto is curated by Dr. Carl Benn, Chief Curator of the City of Toronto
and is on display until June 5.

The Market Gallery is located on the second floor of the South St. Lawrence Market,
95 Front Street East. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday: 10 a.m. ­ 4 p.m.;
Saturday: 9 a.m. ­ 4 p.m.; and Sunday: noon ­ 4 p.m. Admission is free.


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Media Contacts: Pamela Wachna, Coordinator of Collections & Outreach, 416-392-7604
                Carl Benn, Chief Curator, Museums & Heritage Services, 416-338-0028




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