Sold for: $121,250

PROVENANCE
Sold sale of Oliver, Coate & Co., October 13 - 15, 1890, lot 42 to F.M. Gray
By descent to Mrs. Ritch
By descent to the present Private Collection, British Columbia

LITERATURE
Paintings by Paul Peel, Oliver, Coate & Co., 1890, listed, unpaginated
"Ontario Art Shown in the Making," The Mail and Empire (Toronto), February 11, 1922, page 5
"Retrospective Exhibition of Ontario Artists," The Globe (Toronto), February 12, 1922, page 13
"Canada's Foremost Artist Got $2,000 for Pictures Now Worth $750,000," Toronto Evening Telegram, March 7, 1923, page 12
Victoria Baker, Paul Peel: A Retrospective, 1860 - 1892, London Regional Art Gallery, 1986, page 50, reproduced page 146, and an 1892 oil with a similar subject reproduced page 89

EXHIBITED
DCIE, 1903, titled as After the Bath, catalogue #108
Art Museum of Toronto, Fourth Loan Exhibition, 1911, catalogue #196
Art Gallery of Toronto, Retrospective Loan Exhibition of the Work of Members of the Ontario Society of Artists, 1922, catalogue #144
Art Gallery of Toronto, Members Loan Exhibition, 1945
London Regional Art Gallery, Paul Peel: A Retrospective, 1860 - 1892, September 6 - October 26, 1986, traveling to other Canadian museums and art galleries, catalogue #54

By 1890 Paul Peel was achieving national and international recognition—he exhibited two works at the Paris Salon that year, and his painting After the Bath, depicting two nude young girls warming themselves in front of a hearth, received acclaim from French critics. Victoria Baker commented that with this work, Peel “returns to his favoured themes, children and nude figures, and rich contrasts of light and dark.” Awaiting the Bath is an extraordinary work from this important part of Peel’s oeuvre. The spotlight is on the young girl, sitting on a soft white sheepskin and innocently playing with a lifelike doll. The red of her hair, the cushion, the doll’s dress and the copper vessel are sumptuous, and their rich tones and the pool of light illuminating the girl are dramatically contrasted by the dark background. Peel had a masterful ability to depict flesh tones, fully realized here in the girl’s smooth and glowing skin. This important painting was extensively exhibited, from as early as 1890 to Peel’s 1986 retrospective at the London Regional Art Gallery.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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