Sold for: $29,250

PROVENANCE
Continental Galleries, Montreal
The PSBGM Cultural Heritage Foundation
Sold sale of Canadian Post~War & Contemporary Art, Heffel Fine Art Auction House, May 17, 2013, lot 43
Private Collection, Vancouver

As David Blackwood is renowned for images of the East Coast and William Kurelek for scenes of the Prairies, John Little is synonymous with painting the streets of Montreal. However, Little Hockey Players is atypical of Little’s usual imagery, as he moves the viewer away from his archetypal sidewalks and into a more rural countryside. The children at play are embracing the winter season in a quintessentially Canadian game of hockey, strongly evoking Little’s admiration for his beloved province of Quebec. Little balances this element of play by including the working horse and its master in the background, ploughing through the winter elements. This charming work includes the artist’s distinctive colour palette dominated by cream, olive, ochre, grey and brown, and is subtly highlighted by the young players’ jerseys in the foreground. The muted colour palette and overcast sky emphasize the briskness of the day; yet, clothes are still hanging on the line. Little’s characteristic expressionist brush-strokes successfully capture his warm appreciation for this environment, exemplifying the artist’s unique vision that is so sought after today.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars