LOT 101

ALC CGP G7 OSA RCA RSA
1882 - 1974
Canadian

Fox River, Gaspé
oil on board, 1936
signed and on verso signed, titled and inscribed "Studio Bldg Severn St., Toronto" and "canvas Karen B" indistinctly
8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in, 21.6 x 26.7 cm

Estimate: $30,000 - $50,000 CAD

Sold for: $55,250

Preview at:

PROVENANCE
The Art Emporium, Vancouver, 1976
By descent to the present Private Collection, Vancouver

LITERATURE
Naomi Jackson Groves, A.Y.’s Canada, 1968, page 32
Pierre B. Landry, editor, Catalogue of the National Gallery of Canada, Canadian Art: Volume Two / G-K, 1994, a related 1936 drawing entitled Fox River, General View, catalogue #17869v, reproduced page 252


In spring of 1936, A.Y. Jackson headed to Fox River, in the picturesque eastern part of the Gaspé Peninsula, for his annual late winter / early spring sketching trip. Jackson found the weather so stormy, rainy and foggy that he could hardly paint outdoors, and so he produced mostly drawings, making this a rare oil sketch from that trip. He complained bitterly about the conditions in a letter, stating, “It’s been a lousy spring…still don’t know if I am going to get anything worthwhile.” The first visitor to the area, Jacques Cartier, over 400 years previous, also complained of “a contrary winde, with great fogges and stormes.”

Jackson depicts scenic elements such as a rowboat pulled up beside a house, woodpiles, and the iconic horse and sleigh. The church with its spire piercing the sky is at the heart of the village. Jackson’s brush-strokes are broad and rhythmic; there is a rollicking roll to the piles of snow, the Laurentian hills in the background and the layers of clouds overhead. Jackson shows his affinity for Impressionism in his rich and varied tints in the snow: mauve, blue, green and pink with touches of coral and yellow. Not only did Jackson get something “worthwhile,” he surpassed that—Fox River, Gaspé is exceptional.

This fine oil sketch has been in the collection of the same family for almost 50 years.


Estimate: $30,000 - $50,000 CAD

All prices are in Canadian Dollars


Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information posted, errors and omissions may occur. All bids are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Business. Bidders must ensure they have satisfied themselves with the condition of the Lot prior to bidding. Condition reports are available upon request.