Sold for: $34,250

PROVENANCE
McDowell Gallery, Toronto
By descent to the present Private Collection, Toronto

A.J. Casson’s favourite time for sketching trips into the countryside was fall, when he was drawn to the drama of the turning colours that we see portrayed so richly in Farmhouse in Autumn. Greens and oranges are contrasted against the natural tones of the weather-beaten wood of the farmhouse, with the stand of flame-like trees nearby being particularly vibrant. The farmhouse seems deserted, and there is a stillness over the land and in the air. Casson’s penchant for skies full of weather effects is well demonstrated here, as dark clouds imply an impending rainstorm and cast shadows over the far hills, which darken into burnt orange and purple-blue. Casson’s great affection for rural Ontario is palpable in the warm ambience of this sketch—like his fellow Group of Seven painter A.Y. Jackson, Casson was attracted to old structures like this farmhouse. We can imagine him driving up the rutted road searching for subjects, being struck by the light, the weather and the eroded house, and pulling off to the side to sketch this fine, atmospheric oil.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars