Early 20th Century Childhood
through the art of Helen McNicoll

Art Canada Institute author Samantha Burton states that “Beginning in the late eighteenth century, childhood was conceptually reimagined as a distinct phase of life, and children as pure and innocent creatures who should be sheltered from the concerns of the ‘real world.’” In this guide teachers and students examine the conception of childhood from a historical, social, and cultural viewpoint. The art of Helen McNicoll (1879–1915), with its beautiful and idealized depiction of childhood, is a counterpoint to the reality of countless Canadian children who had lives that were very different from those in her paintings. McNicoll’s art is used as a starting point for a broader examination of history and Canadian society.