Sold for: $10,625

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from Patricia Fitzgerald Morrison, daughter of the Artist, in the early 1960s
Collection of Harry and Esther Handel, Montreal
By descent to the present Private Collection, Montreal

LITERATURE
Ian M. Thom, Living Harmony - FitzGerald’s British Columbia Landscapes, 1994, page 4

Lionel LeMoine FitzGerald joined the Group of Seven in 1932, and set himself apart by virtue of his distinct path as a young artist from the Prairies. He was the only Group member from the West, and he was not known for 1920s era plein air sketches of locations such as Algonquin Park. One could associate FitzGerald’s style more with the austere realism to come out of the Maritimes decades later. Whichever way one looks at it, his work is decidedly and quintessentially Canadian: at once rooted in the Group’s approach to landscape, while anticipating Alex Colville and Christopher Pratt, among others.

Near Doc Snider's House, Winnipeg depicts a subject from the same general location as an important 1931 canvas by FitzGerald of his neighbour’s residence, Doc Snyder’s House, in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada. In this context, this oil on board functions as an adjunct to the larger, more polished work, as though FitzGerald simply turned his head and felt the need to delve into another less theatrical view. While the larger composition is more ambitious in scale and in scope, it is worth noting that FitzGerald believed that “universality could be found in the microcosm,” leading us to consider the importance of his closer view of this subject. Given that the artist pioneered his own kind of austere minimalism, this small painting delivers considerable meaning in relation to his overall oeuvre.

As is often the case, in this work FitzGerald uses a masterfully controlled degree of contrast within a limited, earthy palette. The chilly winter subject incorporates a series of darkened tones that give the composition its definition, and a hint of warmth in the pink and mauve tones that work in collaboration with the use of yellow and green, offering the viewer an ever-so-slight suggestion of spring to come. This panel emerges as an understated gem by one of Canada’s quieter masters of the era. Near Doc Snider's House, Winnipeg represents a rare opportunity for collectors of the Group, and specifically of FitzGerald, to acquire his work.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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