Charles mckechnie

His friend and class mate at medical school Albert Chapman, Architect was one day his employer in Toronto Ontario.

A friendly talk with Mrs. Chapman shed some light on my subject and made it a little easier to biograph his early education.

By the time I heard all the stories I could get together I have to work them into this biography as sketchy as it may turn out.

The seven to ten years in the employment as the sculptor for Chapman is full of lots of work along the figure subjects and I will group them all together in the findings according to the records I found with some help from the Canadian National Exhibition Committee.  The classic designs used on the Metropolitan Public Library in Toronto, the Royal Ontario Museum are there for you to enjoy.

The Princess Gates for the C.N.E. is just packed full of one figure after another.  I enjoyed getting there and telephoto them on a clear day.  The Ontario Building at the C.N.E. is the combined work of Architect and artist.  W.J. Hynes did some of the plaster work I am told. No one person could have done so much work.

There is one work of F. Hugonard with two Indian children by his side but I had difficulty in getting confirmation if it ever got cast in bronze.

 

WORKS BY C.D. McKECHNIE

 

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

The Ontario Hydro Building, Toronto

Princess Gates C.N.E.

Engineering Building C.N.E

Ontario Government Building C.N.E.

Metropolitan Public Library. Toronto

F. Hugonard, three figure statue

Well, I have a tale to tell about another lesser-known sculptor by the name of Charles Duncan McKechnie born and educated in England.  He had a sister who was also an artist but stay in England.

Charles came to Canada after the First World War and suffered a wound that was to plague him the rest of his life.

Charles Duncan McKechnie 1865 - 1935