LOT 015

AANFM RCA
1923 - 1999
Canadian

Élégie criblée de gris no. 6
oil on canvas
signed and on verso signed, titled and dated 1986
60 x 120 in, 152.4 x 304.8 cm

Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000 CAD

Preview at: Heffel North Vancouver Facility – by appointment only

PROVENANCE
Waddington & Gorce Inc., Montreal
Private Collection, Montreal
Sold sale of Canadian Post-War & Contemporary Art, Heffel Fine Art Auction House, May 17, 2011, lot 21
Private Collection, Vancouver

LITERATURE
Constance Naubert-Riser, Jean McEwen: Colour in Depth, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1987, page 49


Jean McEwen’s paintings illustrate that colour cannot be read as a two-dimensional element, as exemplified in Élégie criblée de gris no. 6. This fine work is from his Élégie series, which he began in 1986. McEwen dedicated his career to exploring the qualities of colour. As seen in this work, with its double-depth effect, McEwen strove to provide a structure for his colours as a means of exposing the intensity intrinsic to the colours themselves. Constance Naubert-Riser states that McEwen’s works “contain effects of depth that push the possibilities offered by the medium to their very limits.” To create his paintings, McEwen would coat successive layers of opaque pigment on top of one another, which blended together seamlessly to create a sense of chromatic beauty. His layers of paint stretch almost to the edges of the canvas and pull back slightly in the corners to reveal the depth embedded within the colour fields.


Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000 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.