The Maltwoods’ legacy lives on in Katharine’s enduring artistic vision, her writing and their collection. Though her interests owed a great debt to the Arts and Crafts Movement, her curiosity went far beyond the ideals of William Morris and his circle. Against the particularly staid and conservative backdrop of Victoria, British Columbia, Katharine Maltwood stands out as a remarkable and unconventional individual with her broad interests spanning religion and myth. So much so that her life’s story inspired more than one fictionalization including: a novel, House of Fulfillment (1927) by Lily Adams Beck 1 and a play, Temple of the Stars (1996) by former UVic professor Marilyn Bowering. 2 Most importantly, the Maltwood collection has been accessed by numerous individuals and classes at the University of Victoria and beyond, and has been included in nationally and internationally touring exhibitions, most recently one on Emily Carr in 2014-2015. Katharine’s is a story of an individual and a historical period rich in scope for further study and interpretation.
“Portrait of Katharine Maltwood” 1921, Bertram Park, 20.20 x 15.50, photograph.
“Portrait of John Maltwood” 1921, Bertram Park, 25.20 x 19.00, photograph.