Frequently Asked Questions

 
Q. How can there be a limited edition of an historical or deceased artist?
A. Historical artists, in some cases, are public domain and certain paintings are accessible and can be made into prints by various publishers. NAC attempts to print privately owned pieces for exclusivity but many of our great paintings by such artists as Tom Thomson are in public galleries and could possibly be published by other printers. NAC strives to produce the highest quality in its editions. The paper employed is acid-free and the inks and craftsmanship of printmaking are superb.

In the situation where a particular painting is printed or published in the future by another publisher, the “NAC edition” is truly a treasured collectible on its merits of limited availability, excellent quality and unyielding integrity.

Each NAC edition is identified with an embossing or some distinct NAC marking. With the number applied to the print, NAC is stating what the size of the edition is.

Q. What does the numbers on the print mean (example 61/875)?
A. The numbers indicate the publication is a limited edition of 875. The above is No. 61 of 875.

Q. What does ‘by A.J. Casson’ or ‘by’ any artist’s name mean?
A. The ‘by’ indicates who the artist was that painted the original; in other words, the image or print being viewed is ‘by’ that artist, and not signed by the artist.

Q. Was Tom Thomson a member of the Group of Seven?
A. No. Thomson was included in this circle of friends, but since he died in 1917 and the Group was not formed until 1920, he was not a member. He was very important to the other artists however, for he was an avid outdoorsman and awakened their passion for painting the rugged Northern Ontario landscape.

Q. Who were the members of the Group of Seven?
A. The original group was composed of Lawren Harris, Franklin Carmichael, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, Frank (Franz) Johnston, J.E.H. MacDonald and Frederick Varley. Later, L.L. Fitzgerald, A.J. Casson and Edwin Holgate became members.

Q. What is the blind-embossed nac or other symbols in the lower left corner (below the image)?
A. These are the publisher’s benchmarks. For example, nac stands for our company, Northland Art Company. The three benchmarks that Somerville Editions has chosen identify the edition as a Somerville publication.

Q. What is the seal in the lower right-hand corner?
A. This is the publisher’s stamp, or seal. For example, nac’s stamp is a round gold seal with a beaver in the center. Other publishers have their own identifying seal or stamp.

Q.  What is a giclée?
A.  Giclée (pronounced zhee-clay) is a French word meaning “that which is sprayed or squirted”.  It is a highly advanced method of computer-controlled, fine art reproduction using archival dye-based inks.  A sophisticated ink-jet printer designed specifically for this process creates a near-continuous-tone image onto various media including canvas, fine art and photo-base papers.

 
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