Part of the Government of Ontario Art Collection, Eumenides was unveiled in 1985, along with Kàroly Veress’ work on the opposite side of the courthouse. This is one of a series of works by Allardyce-Tully that are still on display around Niagara and in Toronto (Jewish Community Centre, St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto), as well as in further locations such as Thunder Bay (Ontario) or in the District of Columbia (U.S.A.).
Details
Robert S. K. Welch Courthouse, 59 Church Street | Anne Allardyce-Tully | 1985
Description
Allardyce-Tully’s artworks are easily recognizable by their sheer size and their strong use of space and form. The title acknowledges the placement of the work specifically: the Eumenides, also sometimes known as the Furies, are characters of Greek mythology who administer justice swiftly and ruthlessly, as in the play bearing their name by Aeschylus. His drama ends with their being honoured among the citizens of Athens as “the Kindly Ones,” hinting that justice must also be fair and merciful.
Like many of Allardyce-Tully’s works, Eumenides seems precariously balanced, and is made up of different components that merge and meld together. The three “planes” echo three figures huddled together, suggesting a solemnity – with their size, and dark colour – that suits their placement outside the courthouse. Anne Allardyce-Tully was born in the United States and studied in both Canada and the United Kingdom before moving to Toronto in 1967.
