CC QMG RCA
1904 - 1990
Canadian
Le chapeau blanc
oil on canvas
signed and on verso titled
16 x 11 7/8 in, 40.6 x 30.2 cm
Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000 CAD
Sold for: $29,250
Preview at: Heffel Toronto – 13 Hazelton Ave
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Montreal
LITERATURE
Guy Robert, Lemieux, 1975, page 284
Between 1970 and 1990, Jean Paul Lemieux often did close-up views of people backed by modulated colour fields. Lemieux pulls us in to his subjects and, by removing them from a horizon, or the territoriality of their settings, produces a kind of existential atmosphere. Facing us, they express their inner state, which, in the case of the woman in Le chapeau blanc, is gentle and confident. For Lemieux, a portrait was never just a depiction of a likeness – he stated that he searched for more in “the human face, to bring out all its drama and feeling, the better to underline man’s condition.” Colour is used to great effect here - the rich reds of the woman’s jacket and her lipstick infuse the work with energy, contrasting with the pearlescent background and her white hat and turtleneck sweater. The apparel of Lemieux’s subjects has a studied simplicity, and here the woman’s dress emphasizes her modernity. Through her direct and open gaze, the woman communicates a radiant self-assurance and serenity.
Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000 CAD
All prices are in Canadian Dollars
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condition of the Lot prior to bidding. Condition reports are available upon request.