Sold for: $21,250

PROVENANCE
Masters Gallery Ltd., Calgary, 1977
By descent to the present Private Collection, British Columbia

The title of this work refers to Lake McArthur, a pristine jewel nestled high in a hanging valley above Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park. J.E.H. MacDonald was drawn to Lake O’Hara as a sketching location, first encountering it in 1924 and returning frequently until his passing in 1932. Over time, he became intimately acquainted with the rugged terrain, navigating goat paths and stream beds to access unique perspectives of the various lakes and smaller bodies of water dotting the landscape. Venturing into secluded meadows and scaling wind-swept scree slopes, MacDonald often sought out unconventional angles for his compositions, eschewing the conventional panoramic views of the Rockies. Instead, he opted for distinctive and captivating scenes, such as this portrayal of Lake McArthur, painted from an elevated viewpoint, and rendered in an uncommon colour palette. MacDonald understood that portraying Lake O’Hara went beyond capturing picturesque scenes under clear blue skies; rather, it required capturing fleeting moments, like this one, where the viewer can almost sense the brisk mountain wind sweeping across the landscape.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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