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LOT 109

CGP CSPWC G7 OC POSA PRCA
1898 - 1992
Canadian

Storm Clouds
oil on board, circa 1943
signed and on verso signed, titled and inscribed "O.S.A. Small Picture Ex. Simpsons 1943" / "43 Rochester Ave. Toronto" / "$35.00" / "Bought by Ruth B. Robinson"
9 1/2 x 11 1/4 in, 24.1 x 28.6 cm

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

Sold for: $40,250

Preview at:

PROVENANCE
Simpsons, Toronto, 1943
Ruth B. Robinson
By descent to the present Private Collection, Ontario

EXHIBITED
Simpsons, Toronto, Ontario Society of Artists Small Picture Exhibition, 1943


A notable element of art history in Canada was the intersection of fine art with the department store. Toronto’s Eaton’s on College Street boasted second-floor galleries where visitors could acquire classical artworks in a British vein, as well as works by contemporary painters such as Franz Johnston and Oscar Cahén. The latter and his fellow Painters Eleven members also held their inaugural exhibition Abstracts at Home at the nearby Simpsons department store, where the Ontario Society of Artists often held their annual Small Picture Show. The OSA was an essential organization, whose membership included many of the most important artists of the era, and its “Small Picture” selections included exquisite examples such as this. Here, A.J. Casson employs a notably Impressionistic palette in the pinks, purples and blues of the snow, along with a rich expression of light and shadow throughout. Stylistically, Storm Clouds is balanced between his more textured and gestural work from his time with the Group of Seven and his more geometric style of the late 1950s onward, and it showcases Casson’s flair for subtle drama in the stunning sky.


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.