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LOT 231

AAM BHG CGP CSGA G7 RCA
1892 - 1977
Canadian

Two Bathers
oil on canvas on board
signed and dated 1949 and on verso signed, titled, dated and stamped 1049
15 x 17 1/2 in, 38.1 x 44.4 cm

Estimate: $70,000 - $90,000 CAD

Sold for: $165,200

Preview at: Heffel Toronto – 13 Hazelton Ave

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the Artist by Phyllis Buxton, Morin Heights, Quebec
Private Collection, Victoria
Sold sale of Fine Canadian Art, Heffel Fine Art Auction House, May 10, 2000, lot 166
Peter and Joanne Brown Collection, Vancouver
Sold sale of Heffel Fine Art Auction House, Wednesday, November 23, 2016, lot 231
Masters Gallery Ltd., Calgary

LITERATURE
Jerrold Morris, The Nude in Canadian Painting, 1972, a similar 1937 oil on canvas entitled The Bathers, in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, reproduced page 51
Dennis Reid, Edwin Holgate, National Gallery of Canada, 1976, a similar 1937 oil on canvas entitled The Bathers, in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, reproduced page 66, catalogue #43
Rosalind Pepall and Brian Foss, Edwin Holgate, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 2005, a similar 1937 oil on canvas entitled The Bathers, in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, reproduced front cover and page 151 and listed page 173


Edwin Holgate painted strong landscapes that confirmed his solidarity with his fellow Group of Seven members, but just as important in his oeuvre were his figurative works. His nudes are extraordinary, and his most powerful works were his images of nude women placed in landscape settings, such as this superb painting. In Canada between the First and Second World Wars, the nude as a subject in art was uncommon, controversial and subject to censorship. In 1930, Holgate installed two of his nudes in that year’s Group of Seven exhibition and was subsequently caught in this swirl of controversy. To our eyes now, Holgate’s nudes appear altogether wholesome—after bathing in the fresh, cool water of the rushing stream, the women are naturally enjoying the air and sun. Their bodies are strong and sculptural, like the rocks they gracefully stand and recline on. As Brian Foss writes, Holgate presents them "as components of or extensions of their surroundings—literally, as living landscapes." They are as much a part of the purity and beauty of nature as the rock formations and stream that surround them.


Estimate: $70,000 - $90,000 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.