LOT 116

ALC CGP G7 OSA RCA
1873 - 1932
Canadian

Algonquin Park
oil on board
signed and on verso titled on the G. Blair Laing gallery label and inscribed in graphite “Canoe Lake”
8 x 10 in, 20.3 x 25.4 cm

Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000 CAD

Sold for: $141,600

Preview at: Heffel Toronto – 13 Hazelton Ave

PROVENANCE
G. Blair Laing Limited, Toronto
Acquired from the above by a Private Collector, Toronto, September 29, 1967 for $2,000
By descent to the present Private Collection, Toronto

LITERATURE
Lisa Christensen, The Lake O’Hara Art of J.E.H. MacDonald and Hiker’s Guide, 2003, page 16


J.E.H. MacDonald was a sensitive painter of atmosphere and weather. This was, in part, a result of his keen observational abilities, which allowed him to see and then render subtle variations in colour through a poetic lens. He was also an eminently practical artist, especially when sketching out of doors, able to readily select a very few colours for his palette. He called sketching “The First Outdoor Sport” and knew that “about eight” colours would enable him to depict the mood of any scene. “Get the effect—it goes the quickest,” he would tell his students. Here, the character of a day’s particular weather, as well as the mood and feeling of the place, are caught with simple brushwork and a very limited palette. Note the difference in mood between the sky and the water, which is communicated with brushwork alone, for the colours are almost the same. Smooth grey water and the stormy sky frame the distant shoreline, which is also rendered in a few select colours.


Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000 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.