Sold for: $41,300

PROVENANCE
Lindsay Hisler, Esq., Ottawa
Patrick Doheny Fine Art, Vancouver
Peter and Joanne Brown Collection, Vancouver, acquired from the above in 1996

The date of 1919 places this fine Frank H. Johnston sketch in his Group of Seven period. It is possible that it was executed during the Group’s boxcar trip to Algoma in September of that year, a trip which included Johnston, Lawren Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald and A.Y. Jackson. This extraordinary journey took them up the Central Algoma Railway in a railcar specially outfitted for their needs. Once the boxcar was in place, the artists fanned out into the surrounding wilderness to paint, working from early morning to dark, excited by the grandeur of this rugged land. At night they reviewed the day’s work and held spirited discussions. Johnston’s natural design sense shines through in this fresh on-the-spot sketch. The sturdy, vital pine is the central focus, a tree that the Group made an iconic symbol of the Canadian wilderness. Johnston laid down his paint with assurance, using short, loaded brush-strokes. In the process he left some bare panel exposed, and its orange tone warms the rich greens and earthy browns. Bright, indirect light that evenly illuminates the scene further contributes to the vivid quality of Johnston’s vigorous sketch.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars