Emily Coonan (1885-1971)
Bonsecours Church, 1925,
Oil, 14″ x 10.25″
Artist Origin: Canada (Montreal, Quebec)
Artist Type: Painter (figure, portrait, still life, landscape)
Born: March 25, 1885
Died: June 23, 1971
Emily Coonan (1885–1971) was a quietly pioneering voice in early Canadian modernism. Born in the working-class Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood of Montreal, she trained under William Brymner at the Art Association of Montreal, developing a sophisticated language that bridged Impressionism and modernist formalism. A member of the Beaver Hall Group, Coonan’s portraits and interiors resonate with calm strength and introspective beauty. Though she withdrew from public exhibitions in the 1930s, her work remained deeply personal — created for family and close friends — and today she is celebrated for her refined compositional integrity and emotional restraint.
Karen Antaki & Sandra Paikowsky, Emily Coonan (1885–1971), Concordia Art Gallery (1987).
This catalogue is crucial for understanding Coonan’s work — it accompanied a major retrospective and provides deep insight into her development, influences, and place in Canadian art history.
Historical and Contemporary Gallery located in Toronto at 33 Hazelton Ave.
Subscribe for new arrivals and expert Canadian art insights
