Mary Allodi

MARY SEYMOUR MACAULAY ALLODI C.M., M.A., F.R.S.A. December 6, 1929 - May 31, 2021 Mary spent her last days in the close and loving company of her son, Jim. One of the country's senior art historians and a pioneer and pillar in the study of early Canadian art, she was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts and in 1999 was invested into the Order of Canada. As both colleagues and friends remember, her intellectual rigour was accompanied by a distinct warmth, generosity of spirit, and a beautifully dry wit. It wasn't clear in 1951 that Mary would find her way into her field of expertise. In the Ottawa of her youth, women's career options were limited. After some secretarial and copywriting work in Montreal, she completed a Masters in Art History at New York University. The degree helped her land a job at the National Gallery of Canada under renowned art historian and author Donald Buchanan, who became a mentor. She received one of the very first grants awarded by the Canada Council, which led to a pivotal year in her life. The mission was to make a study of the great art museums of Europe. Though the money was scant, Mary lived frugally and so was able to immerse herself and visit all of the continent's iconic institutions within a year. This period was foundational in building her acute perspective on the role of art in public life. Mary's brother Ned visited in 1960 and attended the Venice Biennale with her, where Canada's pavilion featured artists such as Jean Paul Lemieux, in whom Mary had a continuing interest. Later, in Munich, she took Ned through the Pinakothek, enthusiastically describing the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Mannerist and Rococo periods. He says the experience opened his mind to art for the rest of his life. She would go on to have a similar effect on countless others. Mary was someone for whom art was a central element of life, and as hers unfolded it would prove the motto: Art is long, life is short. When funds ran out in Europe, Mary, who was fluent in Spanish, prolonged her stay by working as a translator and at a travel agency in Madrid. She befriended a Canadian painter, Jack Chambers, who introduced her to a handsome and cultured Spanish friend, Federico Allodi. The two would later move to London, UK, where Federico interned as a doctor. They married and settled in Toronto, raising two sons. When their son Marc, a passionate outdoorsman at age 15, died in a canoeing accident, life took an irredeemable turn. The unimaginable sadness, which never ended, was mitigated by renewed passion for her work as an art historian at the Royal Ontario Museum. Grief propelled her, and led to great discovery and advancement in her work. As a researcher, she had a gift for sorting out the puzzle of a painting or print's attribution. As a writer, she was known for presenting her ideas with concision and clarity, both in her published work and her unpublished notes. Arlene Gehmacher, her successor as Curator of Canadian Paintings, Prints & Drawings at the ROM, states, 'Her curatorial files are a goldmine of information and insights.' Gilbert Gignac, of Library and Archives Canada, observes that 'She explored and researched with acute instinct and exactitude, resulting in a vast array of intelligent and inspiring public exhibitions and seminal publications.' Her citation to the Order of Canada reads: 'She has researched the visual records of life in Canada captured by early Canadian painters and printmakers who documented exploration, settlement and people of our land before the advent of photography. Her diligent scholarship and curatorial work during a long career at the Royal Ontario Museum have resulted in a large and important collection accessible to all. By sharing her knowledge with colleagues, students and the public, she has stimulated an interest in our cultural heritage and social past and created a foundation for future scholars to build upon.' In addition to her professional career, Mary had a rather extraordinary social life. After her divorce, she embraced a wide and loyal coterie of friends. Her house was known to be a salon where artists and academics of all generations mingled and shared inspiration. She is predeceased by her son Marc, and her sister Eilish McKendy. She is survived by her son Jim, brothers James and Edward Macaulay, beloved grandchildren Eve and Arlo, as well as many cherished nieces, nephews and their children. The family wishes to thank Mary's friends and colleagues who contributed to the composition of this recollection, among them: Honor de Pencier, Arlene Gehmacher, Gilbert Gignac, Rosemarie Tovell, Joan Burke, and Jim Burant. Also, love and gratitude is due to Mary's dedicated caregivers, Zenaida Marasigan and Carmelita Era. An occasion to gather and remember Mary's life will be planned in the coming months.