Sold for: $16,520

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Toronto

Among the Group of Seven members, A.J. Casson was best known for his depictions of the rural landscapes and villages of Ontario. In 1958 Casson left his commercial design job at Sampson Matthews Limited to paint full-time and work on expanding his already considerable artistic profile. He formed a relationship with Toronto’s Roberts Gallery, and in November of 1968, the year after this work was painted, collectors lined up all day in the cold for the opening of Casson’s exhibition. To Casson's astonishment, there was a melee as collectors rushed to acquire the works as the show quickly sold out.

The location of this striking painting is Pointe-au-Baril, on the east coast of Georgian Bay. A favourite painting place for other Group members as well, Georgian Bay was an area known for its strong Canadian Shield rock formations, a motif Casson was drawn to in his paintings. In Rugged Country, Casson showed his fine-tuned awareness of design elements by attracting the viewer’s eye first to the top of the rocky headland emerging from lush green forest, then to the distinctive clouds which roll up behind them and soar upwards.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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