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LOT 140

CAC RCA
1865 - 1924
Canadian

The Rider
oil on panel
on verso dated circa 1912 on the Masters Gallery label and stamped with the Morrice studio stamp
5 1/4 x 6 3/4 in, 13.3 x 17.1 cm

Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000 CAD

Sold for: $21,250

Preview at:

PROVENANCE
Canadian Fine Arts, Toronto
Galerie Walter Klinkhoff Inc., Montreal
Masters Gallery Ltd., Calgary
Sold sale of Fine Canadian Art, Joyner / Waddington's, December 6, 2005, lot 63
Private Collection, Toronto

LITERATURE
Katerina Atanassova, Morrice: The A.K. Prakash Collection in Trust to the Nation, National Gallery of Canada, 2017, page 161, similar scenes of horses and riders, such as the 1912 – 1913 oil on panel entitled Road Scene, Tangier and the circa 1911 oil and graphite on panel entitled Beach Scene, Tangier, in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada, reproduced page 165


James Wilson Morrice spent much of his life in France, and prevalent in Paris at the turn of the century was an interest in Orientalism. This fascination with the exotic inspired Morrice, and he made two trips to Morocco, one in early 1912, the other in the winter of 1912 to 1913. While there, Morrice continued his practice of plein air painting in his established style, while reflecting this new environment. Katerina Atanassova wrote, “He soon realized that the light in North Africa is brighter than in Europe, the air is thinner, and there is a crispness and clarity that is unique to this region.” In this evocative work, Morrice depicts a scene of everyday life in Tangier, in which donkey and rider move through a golden-toned landscape under a dramatic sky, contrasted by the darkened distant hill in blue, green and purple tones. It is astonishing how Morrice suggests so much in a small pochade—assured, fluid brush-strokes define the landscape and capture the heat of the day through the figures’ languid movement, in a nostalgic scene that could be 1912 or from centuries past.

We thank Lucie Dorais for her assistance in cataloguing this lot. This work will be included in Dorais’s forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist’s work.


Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000 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.