Please note our offices will be closed from Friday March 29 through Monday April 1 for Easter. Local pick-ups will start on Tuesday April 2.
      
      
      

LOT 130

ALC CGP G7 OSA RCA
1873 - 1932
Canadian

Barbados, B.W.I.
oil on board
initialed and dated 1932 and on verso signed, titled, dated, inscribed "Bathsheba Coast" by Mrs. J.E.H. MacDonald and stamped with the artist's monogram
8 1/2 x 10 1/4 in, 21.6 x 26 cm

Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CAD

Sold for: $25,000

Preview at: Heffel Toronto – 13 Hazelton Ave

PROVENANCE
Laing Galleries, Toronto
By descent to the present Private Collection, Ontario

LITERATURE
Paul Duval, The Tangled Garden: The Art of J.E.H. MacDonald, 1978, page 151


In 1931, J.E.H. MacDonald’s health began to suffer from the demands of his role as principal of the Ontario College of Art. Thus in January of 1932, he took a leave of absence from his job and traveled to Barbados, in the British West Indies, for three months. He luxuriated in his freedom there and the healing powers of the sea. As he set to painting, he quickly absorbed the essence of this new environment. MacDonald was delighted by the rich profusion of flowers and vegetation and by the radiant white light. This expansive and light-filled view of the Bathsheba coast with its surging surf carries the essence of the dreamy tropics. On the hilltop, a century plant overlooks the beach, taking the symbolic position of an observer. MacDonald’s brush-strokes are relaxed and fluid, and his palette is dominated by cool and refreshing greens and blues. This landscape stayed in MacDonald’s imagination, and on his return to Canada he wrote, “Our little Barbadian souls have drawn within themselves to think about the far away brightness of the blessed island.”


Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 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.