FREDERICK BANTING: MEDICAL INNOVATOR, AMATEUR ARTIST

Walk Of Fame | Martin Bierens

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Writing this article in March 2020, there is one thing on my mind, and I would wager a bet that it is the same thing that is on everybody’s mind at the moment. It is easy for us to get bogged down in the negatives of the situation, but it is important to remember that this time will pass. For this reason, I have decided to dedicate the final Musings article of my first year to the man who solved one of the biggest medical issues of his time, Canadian medical scientist, and co-discoverer of insulin Frederick Banting.

Dr. Frederick Banting (I guess they hadn't learned smoking was bad yet) Source.

It is extremely hard to overstate the need for insulin. The care was inhumane, starving patients was the typical treatment, known by a more pleasant, and fooling name, dietary restriction. I do not want to get into the science of diabetes, and the pain and suffering it caused. Rather, I think it is more important to humanize what these patients went through as the result of, at the time essentially an untreatable illness. I implore you to listen to a short ten-minute episode of the podcast, The Memory Palace and the story of “Elizabeth,” after which you will understand what this drug means to the people who need it.

Banting first became interested in diabetes in 1920 as a medical student at the University of Western Ontario. Banting read the work of other doctors who had discovered that insulin production and diabetes were related to the pancreas. After extensive, and successful research on animals with fellow co-discoverer Charles Best, in spring 1922, Banting established a private practice in Toronto to treat patients. Banting’s breakthrough earned him, and his fellow researchers, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in 1923.

The Banting House Museum in London, Ontario. Source.

Unsurprisingly, there are multiple museums dedicated to the life of Frederick Banting and the discovery of insulin. The Banting House Museum is located in his former home in London, Ontario where he lived while working towards his discovery. On the museum's website, they have an amazing section called, "Dear Dr. Banting," an open forum in which people can express their gratitude to him. The page is both inspiring, emotional, and overwhelming all at the same time. The house was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997. The Banting Interpretation Centre located in Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland, is the other museum dedicated to Banting and focuses on the plane crash that took his life in 1941.

Dr. Frederick Banting (right) and A.Y. Jackson (left) on their sketching expedition along the St. Lawrence River. Source.

What I did not expect of Frederick Banting is that he was actually a prolific amateur artist, with ties to members of the Group of Seven. Banting developed a keen interest in painting starting in 1921, and soon became close friends with A.Y. Jackson and Lawren Harris. Much like Jackson and Harris, Banting had an interest in depicting Canadian landscapes, and even joined Jackson and Harris on sketching trips, joining Jackson on a trip along the St. Lawrence River into Quebec, and Harris on a trip to the Northwest Territories.

Banting was arguably the best-known amateur painter in the Canadian art-scene by the time of his death in 1941. His work is obviously influenced by the work of Jackson, and Harris. Banting himself actually had an influence on Lawren Harris, the former director of Collections and Research at the AGO, Dennis Reid, said that Banting’s art was certainly, “part of the Jackson story.”

One of Banting's paintings. Source.

Many years after his death, Frederick Banting was voted as the fourth greatest Canadian in 2004, as part of a CBC program, The Greatest Canadian. The only people to top Banting were Tommy Douglas, Terry Fox, and Pierre Trudeau.

Ninety-seven years ago Banting discovered insulin and was rightfully celebrated for the gift he gave humanity. Hopefully, we will soon have someone was can celebrate in the same way we celebrated Banting for their discovery of a cure. It would be amazing to write a Musings article in the future telling you all about the museum that has been set up for this, as of yet, unknown hero. But until then, we can continue to celebrate the medical contributions and art of Frederick Banting.

For more information on Frederick Banting, check out former Musings contributor Kathryn Methot's article Sir Frederick Banting: Doctor, Nobel Laureate, Painter.

VIEWS FROM THE 7: THE GROUP OF SEVEN IN ONTARIO PARKS

THROWBACK THURSDAY

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

Ah, summer. A time of carefree euphoria, backyard barbecues, swim days, and frequent ice cream outings. For me, summer also means camping in Ontario Parks - with the obvious exception of this year, as I write this from the Northwest Territories!

Since this past weekend was the centennial of Canadian painter Tom Thomson's fateful death on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park, and because I'm missing the comforting sounds (loons, crickets) and smells (pine, campfire) of camping in Ontario, I'll be featuring seven provincial parks that inspired members of the Group of Seven and their contemporaries (such as Thomson, who died before the group was officially formed).

NB: This list is not mutually exclusive. While many of the Group of Seven travelled to most of the parks to paint, I’ve chosen to highlight specific artists and their more well-known ties to certain locations.

1. ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK - Tom Thomson, A.J. Casson

A famous Canadian painter in a popular provincial park ... the myth of Tom Thomson’s mysterious disappearance and death on Canoe Lake on July 8, 1917 has remained a point of interest in Canadian art. In 1916 Thomson created the oil sketch for his iconic Jack Pine (1917) on Grand Lake near Carcajou Bay while living and working in Algonquin as a fire ranger.

Tom Thomson, The Jack Pine (1917). Source.

Many of the Group of Seven also painted at Algonquin Park, creating well-loved masterpieces. A. J. Casson did some of his later work at Algonquin, such as Beaver Pond, Algonquin Park (1940).

2. KILLARNEY PROVINCIAL PARK - Franklin Carmichael, A. Y. Jackson

One of my personal favourites, Killarney Provincial Park primarily features Franklin Carmichael and A.Y. Jackson. In fact, the park exists in part due to the efforts of A. Y. Jackson, who was so averse to the prospect of Trout Lake being logged that he petitioned the provincial government to preserve it. The lake was successfully preserved in trust by the Ontario Society of Artists, and its name was henceforth changed to O.S.A. Lake. For his efforts, Jackson received a lake named in his honour at his 90th birthday.

A. Y. Jackson, Nellie Lake (1933). This painting was inspired by the location in Killarney. Source.

The area increased in popularity, as Franklin Carmichael and other Group of Seven members often painted there as well. In 1959, the park became a wilderness preserve. In keeping with its artistic legacy, Killarney held its first ever Annual Group of Seven Festival to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014. 

Franklin Carmichael, Grace Lake (1934). Source.

3. BON ECHO PROVINCIAL PARK - A. J. Casson, Arthur Lismer, Frank Johnston

When I went camping at Bon Echo four years ago, I was blessed with the experience of attending an evening program in which A. J. Casson’s daughter, Margaret Hall, shared some of her memories – such as holding the boat steady while her father painted on Mazinaw Lake. I remember taking in the imposing beauty of Mazinaw Rock and noting that Casson captures its uniqueness perfectly in his work. 

A. J. Casson's Bon Echo captures Mazinaw Rock, the iconic rock on which a tribute to Walt Whitman is etched. Source.

Not unlike the other parks, nearly all of the Group of Seven made their rounds at Bon Echo, but Casson is frequently associated with the landscape. Casson’s abstract style highlights the angular qualities of the Canadian Shield, which can be seen in his work Bon Echo. Of note, Arthur Lismer’s paintings take a more realistic interpretation of some of the same locations, complementing Casson's perspective.

4. NEYS PROVINCIAL PARK - Arthur Lismer, Lawren Harris

Lawren Harris’ Pic Island, Lake Superior (1924) was painted in Neys Provincial Park. The area only became a park in 1965. This is another case  of the Group of Seven painting in areas that were not yet officially preserved, which raises the intriguing question of the value the prolific painters themselves may have assigned to the region through their influence.

Lawren Harris, Pic Island, Lake Superior (1924). Source.

5. LAKE SUPERIOR PROVINCIAL PARK - Lawren Harris

Harris, who is arguably the most famous of the official Group of Seven, spent a great deal of time on Lake Superior, achieving one of his most renowned and popular works, North Shore, Lake Superior (1926), there. 

Lawren Harris, North Shore, Lake Superior (1926). Source.

Harris’ travels to the north shore of Lake Superior yielded a number of his distinctive, cool-coloured paintings in which he uses light to his advantage and creates striking contrast in his imagery.

6. KILLBEAR PROVINCIAL PARK - F. H. Varley

F. H. Varley’s Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay (1921) perfectly encompasses the trees at Killbear, in a similar way to one of Tom Thomson’s most famous paintings, The West Wind (1917).

F. H. Varley, Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay (1921). Source.

Killbear is one of the first parks I can remember camping in, and I loved it instantly. I can see why it would be an ideal location for the Group of Seven artists, since I myself have always felt the urge to return. Something about the Georgian Bay, and hiking on the giant slabs of rock to beautiful lookouts, creates a captivating view with the wind rushing through the trees. When I think of the Group of Seven, my first thought is to picture the pine trees leaning in the wind.

7. WINDY LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK and AUBREY FALLS PROVINCIAL PARK - A. Y. Jackson, Tom Thomson
Northern Ontario played an important part in the Group of Seven’s landscape paintings. The area surrounding Windy Lake attracted A. Y. Jackson to Onaping Falls near Sudbury, where his historic presence has prompted a lookout in his name which is a tourist attraction. A.Y. Jackson Lookout offers a scenic view of High Falls, emphasizing the significance of landscape viewing in the appreciation of the Group of Seven’s history.

Similarly, Tom Thomson went to Aubrey Falls, some distance further north. Like Thomson, a number of the Group of Seven also spent time in the Algoma region, painting naturalistic scenes throughout the area.

The Group of Seven’s travels took them all across the province, both in existing parks and in landscapes that would later be preserved either by their direct influence or otherwise. The Group’s encapsulation of the province’s natural landscapes, through vivid colours and careful brushstrokes, have helped forge a powerful identity for Canadian art. Their work has also created a form of intersectional tourism in which outdoorsy art fans embark on pilgrimages to witness the Group of Seven's inspiration in person. I can certainly say that I’m glad I got to grow up appreciating such breathtaking views, just as they once did.

SIR FREDERICK BANTING: DOCTOR, NOBEL LAUREATE, AND PAINTER

WALK OF FAME

BY: KATHRYN METHOT

Sir Frederick Banting is best known for discovering the benefits of insulin for humans suffering from diabetes. His accomplishments saved the lives of a countless number of people. At the age of 32, Banting is still the youngest person to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology. What is perhaps less known about him is his work as an amateur artist and his connection one of the best known artist collectives in Canada.

Insulin: Toronto's Gift to the World exhibition in the MaRS lobby

In 1910 Banting enrolled at Victoria College at the University of Toronto in a General Arts Program. After failing his first year, he readjusted his focus and enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine in 1913. His change of focus would eventually lead him to begin researching the possibilities of using insulin to control the rise of blood sugar in sufferers of diabetes. Banting's research and the discovery of insulin was an invaluable contribution to medicine, which has allowed sufferers from diabetes to live healthier, more comfortable lives.

A.Y. Jackson (left) and Sir Frederick Banting (right) on a sketching trip

Banting had a great love of art and painted as a hobby. He was close friends with several members of the Group of Seven. On numerous occasions he accompanied A.Y. Jackson on sketching trips to capture the Canadian wilderness. His work strongly reflects the style of the Group of Seven and Jackson’s influence. Banting’s spirit has a strong presence at the University of Toronto campus. The MaRS Building was constructed on the site of the original Toronto General Hospital (where Banting conducted his research) and has a permanent exhibition in its lobby devoted to Banting, his associates, and the discovery of insulin. The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library has a large holding of archival material on Banting, including his travel journals from his sketching trips with Jackson. For an amateur artist, he had quite an accomplished career. He first exhibited his oil sketches in Hart House in 1925. Banting’s trips with Jackson took him to places of solitude, away from his fame and career in medicine. Banting would even sometimes go under the alias of Frederick Grant, so he could have a life in art that was separate from his career in medicine.

Banting's 'French River'

After a lifetime of working in medical research, he had planned on pursuing art full-time after his retirement. Sadly, Banting died following a plane crash in Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland and never had the chance to realize his career as an artist. To celebrate his life and lesser known career in art, Hart House held a retrospective exhibition of his work in 1943. In addition to his lasting presence in University of Toronto medical buildings, several of his paintings are also part of the university art collection.

If you are interested in learning more about Sir Frederick Banting: visit the lobby in the MaRS Building to see their permanent exhibition on the discovery of insulin (the collection even includes Banting’s desk which was made from an oak tree that grew on the university’s property). If you find yourself in Southern Ontario, Banting House offers exhibitions which explore his many talents and contributions to Canadian history.