{{short description|Canadian art historian, curator, art dealer (born 1950)}} {{Orphan|date=August 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date= April 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Christopher Varley | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Christopher John Varley | birth_date = {{birth date|1950|09|19}} | birth_place = Vancouver, Canada | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | spouse = Sandra Shaul (married 1986) | education = Simon Fraser University (grad. 1972) | awards = | known_for = Canadian art historian, curator, private art dealer, art and cultural commentator }}
'''Christopher Varley''' (born 1950)<ref name="WWho " /> is a Canadian art historian, curator, private art dealer, art and cultural commentator.<ref name="WWho " >{{cite web |title=Christopher Varley |publisher=Who`s Who in Canada|url= https://canadianwhoswho.ca/search_results.php?keywords=christopher+varley&onlyByName=1 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> He is the grandson of F. H. Varley. His weekly on-line letters have become something of a "community education project for those of us working in the Canadian art world," wrote one gallerist about Varley's commentary.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zhou |first1=Diamond |title=Article |url=https://www.paulkylegallery.com/post/the-executor-s-burden |website=www.paulkylegallery.com |publisher=Paul Kyle Gallery |access-date=6 December 2025}}</ref>
==Career== Christopher Varley was born in Vancouver and received his B.A. from Simon Fraser University, graduating in 1972. He was the Assistant Curator at the Vancouver Art Gallery, 1974–1977 and the Head Curator at the Edmonton Art Gallery, 1979–1983.<ref name="WWho " /> In 1983, he moved to Toronto and became a private art dealer specializing in historical Canadian art as well as a freelance curator and consultant.<ref name="WWho " /> He has donated work to galleries such as the McMaster Museum of Art<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibitions |url=https://museum.mcmaster.ca/roald-nasgaardlori-walters-christopher-varley-collections|website=museum.mcmaster.ca |date=11 April 2016 |publisher=McMaster Museum of Art, 2016 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> and The Image Centre at Ryerson to which he gave an entire collection of 542 photographs by various Canadian makers from the 19th century to the 20th.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibitions |url=https://theimagecentre.ca/collection/canadian-photographs-from-the-collection-of-christopher-varley |website=theimagecentre.ca |publisher=The Image Centre |access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref>
==Writing== Varley is the author of ''F. H. Varley'' (National Gallery of Canada 1979); ''F.H. Varley: a centennial exhibition'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1981);<ref name="WWho " /> ''Hans Hofmann (1880-1966): an introduction to his paintings'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1982); ''Morrice to Borduas: painting in Montreal from 1900-1950'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1982); ''Winnipeg west: painting and sculpture in western Canada, 1945-1970'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1983);<ref name="WWho " /> ''William Nicoll Cresswell (1818-1888): Man from Seaforth'' (with Barry Fair, London Regional Art Gallery, 1986);<ref name="WWho " /> ''Aba Bayefsky revisited: a retrospective exhibition'' (Koffler Gallery, 1989);<ref name="WWho " /> ''The Development of the modern market for historical Canadian art'' (Typescript of a speech given at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, on April 15, 2004)<ref>{{cite web |title=Author |url=https://ago.ent.sirsidynix.net/client/en_GB/agolibrary/search/results?qu=christopher+varley&te=ILS&lm=EXCLUDERARE |website=ago.ent.sirsidynix.net |publisher=Art Gallery of Ontario |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> and other catalogues, He also writes articles on subjects such as the Group of Seven for the Canadian Encyclopedia<ref>{{cite web |title=Author |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/author/christopher-varley |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |publisher=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> and reviews shows for ''Galleries West'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Author |url=https://www.gallerieswest.ca/topics/varley |website=www.gallerieswest.ca |publisher=Galleries West Magazine |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>
His writing on F. H. Varley has been respectfully reviewed by his peers<ref>{{cite journal |title=(Review of) F.H. Varley: A Centennial Exhibition by Christopher VARLEY |last1=Davis|first1=Ann|journal=Journal of Canadian Art History |date=1982 |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=228–231|jstor=42615828 |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/42615828 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> as has his writing on the Contemporary Arts Society which was said to be "a tribute to his energy, enthusiasm and insight".<ref>Sandra Paikowsky, "Review of Contemporary Arts Society catalogue". Journal of Canadian Art History, vol.. 5, no. 2 (1981), pp. 138 ff.</ref>
His e-mail commentary<ref name="WWho " /> in existence since 2010 with a set list of recipients covers a wide variety of topics, politics, society, economics and finance, along with art and culture with individual artist profiles on artists such as Arthur Lismer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher Varley |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/author/christopher-varley |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |publisher=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> He also has discussed the art market and auction sales of art.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sandals |first1=Leah |title=Article: Reflecting on Canada's Fall Auctions, Beyond the Big Sales |url=https://canadianart.ca/news/reflecting-on-canadas-fall-auctions-beyond-the-big-sales |website=canadianart.ca |publisher=Canadianart Magazine, Nov 29, 2018 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>
==Memberships== *Canadian Museums Association, 1982–1983;<ref name="WWho " /> *Alberta Association Architects, 1982–1983;<ref name="WWho " /> *Friends of the Canadian Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario;<ref name="WWho " /> *Founding Director, The Funding Network (Toronto) 2005–2015;<ref name="WWho " /> *Art Dealers Association of Canada, 2010–2013<ref name="WWho " />
==Awards== *Canada Council Travel Grant, 1982;<ref name="WWho " /> *Western Canada Art Association Publishing Award, 1984<ref name="WWho " />
==References== {{reflist}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varley, Christopher}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian art curators Category:Canadian male non-fiction writers Category:Canadian art historians Category:20th-century Canadian non-fiction writers Category:20th-century Canadian male writers Category:21st-century Canadian non-fiction writers Category:21st-century Canadian male writers Category:Simon Fraser University alumni Category:Canadian art dealers