David Brown Milne
David Brown Milne
1882 - 1953
CGP CSGA CSPWC
As one of Canada’s most original artists, David Milne chose not to embrace the national mythology present in the works of such artists as the Group of Seven. Set apart from his Canadian contemporaries in this manner, Milne’s work instead exhibited a personal style that uniquely incorporated aspects of both Impressionism and Fauvism, garnering the acclaim of American art critic Clement Greenberg who labeled Milne as one of the three most important North American artists of his generation.

Milne was born in 1882 near the town of Paisley in Bruce County, Ontario. Although he had been an avid drawer since before entering kindergarten, Milne did not commence his artistic education until 1899 when he began studying by correspondence at the Arcade School in New York. In 1904 he went to New York to further pursue his art studies at the Art Students League, which again made him an exception in the early 20th century Canadian art scene as the majority of artists then traveled to Europe to study.

Once he had completed his studies in 1906, Milne began working as a commercial artist to support himself. During this time his work was exhibited at the American Watercolour Society and the Pennsylvania Academy, and five of his works were included in the Armories Exhibition of 1913. As one of only three Canadians to be represented at the exhibition, Milne’s paintings were shown alongside the works of such artists as Matisse, Picasso, Kandinsky, Delacroix, Cezanne, Monet and Van Gogh.

Between the years of 1914 to 1928, Milne lived variously in New York City, the Adirondacks, and several Canadian cities including Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. During WWI he served as a Canadian war artist in Belgium and France, afterwards returning to North America where in 1924 an exhibition of his watercolours was held at the Art Association of Montreal. In 2005 the Art Gallery of Ontario organized a larger exhibition of his watercolours entitled “Painting Towards the Light” which was also held at the British Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Although he originally worked primarily in oil, Milne turned almost entirely to watercolour after 1937. Landscapes dominated much of his production throughout his career, and it is for these works done in his distinctive calligraphic style for which he is best known.
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Snow Patches, Boston Corners, NY by David Brown Milne sold for $1,437,500
David Brown Milne
Snow Patches, Boston Corners, NY
22 x 26 1/8 in, 55.9 x 66.3 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $400,000 - $600,000 CDN
Sold for: $1,437,500 CDN (premium included)
Fine Canadian Art Fall 2007 on Friday, November 23, 2007
Alder Branch by David Brown Milne sold for $541,250
David Brown Milne
Alder Branch
18 x 22 in, 45.7 x 55.9 cm
1933
oil on canvas
Estimate: $200,000 - $250,000 CDN
Sold for: $541,250 CDN (premium included)
Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art on Wednesday, December 01, 2021
City Rain by David Brown Milne sold for $421,250
David Brown Milne
City Rain
18 1/4 x 15 1/4 in, 46.4 x 38.7 cm
1911
oil on canvas
Estimate: $275,000 - $325,000 CDN
Sold for: $421,250 CDN (premium included)
Spring 2017 - 2nd Session on Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Woman and Bright Trees, West Saugerties, NY by David Brown Milne sold for $409,500
David Brown Milne
Woman and Bright Trees, West Saugerties, NY
22 3/8 x 20 3/8 in, 56.8 x 51.7 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $250,000 - $300,000 CDN
Sold for: $409,500 CDN (premium included)
Spring 2011 - 2nd Session on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
White Cloud, Boston Corners by David Brown Milne sold for $402,500
David Brown Milne
White Cloud, Boston Corners
20 x 26 in, 50.8 x 66 cm
1918
oil on canvas
Estimate: $400,000 - $600,000 CDN
Sold for: $402,500 CDN (premium included)
Fine Canadian Art Spring 2008 on Thursday, May 22, 2008
Afternoon Sky by David Brown Milne sold for $397,800
David Brown Milne
Afternoon Sky
24 1/4 x 36 1/4 in, 61.6 x 92.1 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $125,000 - $175,000 CDN
Sold for: $397,800 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2012 - 2nd Session on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Snow Patches, Boston Corners by David Brown Milne sold for $301,250
David Brown Milne
Snow Patches, Boston Corners
20 x 24 1/8 in, 50.8 x 61.3 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $250,000 - $350,000 CDN
Sold for: $301,250 CDN (premium included)
Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art on Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Bronx Park, 1913 by David Brown Milne sold for $280,800
David Brown Milne
Bronx Park, 1913
18 x 20 in, 45.7 x 50.8 cm
1913
oil on canvas
Estimate: $200,000 - $300,000 CDN
Sold for: $280,800 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2009 - 2nd Session on Thursday, November 26, 2009
Green Hillside, Boston Corners, NY by David Brown Milne sold for $280,800
David Brown Milne
Green Hillside, Boston Corners, NY
18 x 22 in, 45.7 x 55.9 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $70,000 - $90,000 CDN
Sold for: $280,800 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2010 - 2nd Session on Thursday, November 25, 2010
Autumn Hills and Dark Pines by David Brown Milne sold for $264,500
David Brown Milne
Autumn Hills and Dark Pines
20 1/4 x 26 1/4 in, 51.4 x 66.7 cm
1930
oil on canvas
Estimate: $125,000 - $175,000 CDN
Sold for: $264,500 CDN (premium included)
Fine Canadian Art Fall 2006 on Friday, November 24, 2006