Sold for: $28,125

PROVENANCE
Alex Fraser Galleries, Vancouver
Private Collection, Vancouver, 1960
Sold sale of Important Canadian Art, Sotheby's Canada in association with Ritchie's, February 25, 2002, lot 175
Property from an Important Private Collection to Benefit a Charitable Foundation

Ontario villages and their rural surrounds were enduring themes for Group of Seven painter A.J. Casson. Paul Duval noted in his 1975 book on the artist that Whitney, located in the South Algonquin township, was one of Casson’s prime painting places in 1944 and 1945. During the 1940s Casson was working as a designer at the commercial art firm of Sampson Matthews Limited. On weekends and holidays he extensively explored central southern Ontario, and views such as this of weathered farms tucked against the side of rounded hills, particularly in autumn, were favoured compositions. This sun-washed scene is bright with deciduous trees turning gold and orange, which, interwoven with the dark evergreens, form interesting patterns and reflect Casson’s fine eye for design. The winding rutted road beside the buildings and the rock formations following the contours of the hill build a sense of rhythm in the image. The presence of inhabitants, although unseen, conveys a subtle warmth amid the rustic tranquility of this assured and atmospheric on-the-spot sketch.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars