AGO acquires world class collection of historical Caribbean photographs

Toronto’s Black and Caribbean communities have raised $300,000 to bring The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs to the AGO. The collections of over 3500 images, assembled by New York based filmmaker and photography collector Patrick Montgomery, comes to the AGO as a promised gift. A member of the Board of Trustees of George Eastman Museum, Montgomery has been building this collection for over a decade.

The historical images come from 34 countries including Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and contains studio portraits, landscapes and tourist views. The Collection includes nearly every photographic format available during the years 1840 to 1940, including prints, postcards, daguerreotypes, lantern slides, albums, and stereographs.

Due to the generous contributions of a group of 27 donors, with a lead gift from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs has positioned the AGO as a leader in Caribbean photographic research, and will make its debut in an exhibition in 2021.

Valentine & Sons A Boat on Kingston Harbor, 1891 (variation) 21.59 cm x 26.67 cm albumen print Promised Gift of Patrick Montgomery
Valentine & Sons
A Boat on Kingston Harbor, 1891 (variation) 21.59 cm x 26.67 cm
albumen print
Promised Gift of Patrick Montgomery
At The Market, Martinique, ca 1895
Unknown
At The Market, Martinique, ca 1895
22.23 cm x 18.42
albumen print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Bananas, Trinidad, ca 1890
Felix Morin
Bananas, Trinidad, ca 1890
25.4 cm x 19.69 cm
albumen print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Coconut Palms, Kingston Harbour
J.W. Cleary
Coconut Palms, Kingston Harbour, ca 1895 ca 1895
17.53 cm x 23.11 cm
gelatin Silver print
Promised Gift of Patrick Montgomery
Coolie Woman, Trinidad, ca 1890
Felix Morin
Coolie Woman, Trinidad, ca 1890
21.27 cm x 14.92 cm
albumen print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Fakirs, Trinidad, ca 1890
Felix Morin
Fakirs, Trinidad, ca 1890
17.15 cm x 23.5 cm
albumen print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Glendairy Prison Officials, Barbados, 1909
Unknown
Glendairy Prison Officials, Barbados, 1909
13.97 cm x 19.69 cm
albumen print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Jamaican Women, ca 1900
Unknown
Jamaican Women, ca 1900
16.51 cm x 21.59 cm
gelatin silver print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Martinique Woman, ca 1890
Unknown
Martinique Woman, ca 1890
15.24 cm x 20.32 cm
albumen print
Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. Purchase, with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and Ferrotype Collective, 2019.
Two Women, Trinidad, ca 1890
Felix Morin
Two Women, Trinidad, ca 1890
16.51 cm x 22.86 cm
albumen print
Promised Gift of Patrick Montgomery

 

 

 

 

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Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography