AANFM RCA
1923 - 1999
Canadian
La môme à l'eau de rose
oil on canvas
signed and dated 1997 and on verso signed, titled, dated and inscribed "Tableau au rose", "Inv. #272" twice, "7500" and with two inscriptions crossed out
54 x 48 in, 137.1 x 121.9 cm
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CAD
Sold for: $19,890
Preview at: Heffel Toronto – 13 Hazelton Ave
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Vancouver
When Jean McEwen returned to Montreal from Paris in 1953, he was full of the rich influence of post-war France. By 1955, he had begun to paint with his hands, mapping out geometric shapes and spaces with multiple layers of translucent colour and richness. He would explore such themes for the rest of his career, being endlessly fascinated with the potential of these seemingly simple techniques. Columnar and powerful, these paintings sometimes respect the edges of the canvas and frame and remain contained therein, but often they vibrate and shimmer and threaten to escape up and off the surface of the work.
McEwen gave his works evocative, intriguing titles. La môme à l’eau de rose translates roughly as Sentimental Young Girl, but might also refer to the World War II songstress Edith Piaf and her famous song "La vie en rose." Piaf was nicknamed La Môme Piaf - The Little Sparrow. Her nervous energy, fine voice and dramatic life certainly had parallels with the work of McEwen, whose works have a nervous energy and fine voice of their own.
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CAD
All prices are in Canadian Dollars
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