PROVENANCE
Mrs. Philip N. Bridges, daughter of the Artist
Galerie Walter Klinkhoff Inc., Montreal
Warwick Gallery Ltd., Vancouver
The Collection of Torben V. Kristiansen, Vancouver

LITERATURE
Dennis Reid, Canadian Jungle: The Later Work of Arthur Lismer, Art Gallery of Ontario, 1985, reproduced page 76

EXHIBITED
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canadian Jungle: The Later Work of Arthur Lismer, September 28 - November 24, 1985, catalogue #34

After spending the First World War stationed in Halifax, Arthur Lismer would return to Nova Scotia to holiday many times throughout his life, including multiple summer visits in the 1940s. It was during one such visit that he painted this vibrant and captivating portrait of gear and dock equipment, a subject that often captured his interest.

Dock Litter, Cape Breton is a jubilant example of a truly Canadian still life painting, celebrating the material aspects of the coastal fishing communities of the Maritimes. The haphazard arrangement of colourful and varied gear is given just enough context that we can recognize its setting, with the shore and rowboat placing us directly into the scene, able to occupy the place of the artist, celebrating the beauty in his surroundings. Distinct from the idealized landscapes that Lismer and the Group of Seven are famous for, this picture provides an entirely different way to appreciate the Canadian environment and our place within it. Painted with characteristic fluidity and boldness, it represents the joy Lismer found in the act of painting. He translated this enjoyment into works that catalogued the world around him and immerse us in his distinctive vision.

For the biography on Torben V. Kristiansen in PDF format, please click here.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars