Cowley Abbott is excited to present an extraordinary collection of post-war & contemporary art in our upcoming live auction, “Select Masterworks of Canadian & International Art” set to take place on May 28th at the Globe & Mail Centre.
This event promises to be an exciting evening, showcasing artworks that have shaped the artistic landscape over the decades. Whether you’re an avid collector or a curious art enthusiast, this auction offers a unique opportunity to witness and acquire works that tell compelling stories of creativity and innovation.
Discover the artworks of Jack Bush in the Spring Live Auction with Anna Holmes
Jack Bush: A Master of Colour
Cowley Abbott is delighted to be offering six significant artworks by the celebrated Canadian artist Jack Bush in our Spring Live Auction of Select Masterworks of Canadian and International Art on May 28th, spanning the painter’s storied career. A master of colour, Jack Bush said facing a large empty expanse of canvas was “the thrill of a lifetime” but added that the “toughest thing in the world, on that bare canvas, is to put the first colour on, the first mark.”
From our earliest sales, Cowley Abbott has been fortunate to regularly have been entrusted with rare and important artwork by Jack Bush, becoming a major player in the sale of the painter’s work over the past decade and establishing the global auction record for the artist.
We are pleased to feature a range of masterworks by the modern painter whose creative trajectory flowed from landscapes to abstraction, exemplified in the selection being presented for sale. We hope you will visit the Cowley Abbott gallery to stand in front of these commanding works during our preview starting on Friday, May 16th.
Auction Preview
May 16th to 28th
Monday to Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday, May 28th: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cowley Abbott
326 Dundas St. W. Toronto ON M5A 1G5
Jack Bush Yellow Bikini, 1971
Jack Bush Vic Day, 1974Jack Bush Sky Wash/Mabel’s Release #3, 1966
Watch Lydia Abbott discuss two magnificent artworks by Frances Anne Hopkins
The two watercolours in the May 28th live auction represent major subjects of Frances Anne Hopkins’s artistic oeuvre.
Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, is one of several sketches that Hopkins made during her first trip on Lake Superior in July 1864 and formed the basis for the first painting by her to be accepted for exhibition at the Royal Academy in London in 1869 (now in the collection of the Glenbow Museum). Five sketches related to the painting are known to exist and Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, is believed to be the first large-scale work prepared. The hues in this watercolour are remarkably bright, and the detail is exquisite, recording the moment when canoeing transformed from being a means of travel and the transport of goods, into a leisure time pursuit.
Lumber Raft on the Ottawa, signed and dated 1886, represents another Canadian theme which Frances Anne Hopkins chose to represent on several occasions. Hopkins would have likely encountered such timber rafts during her journeys on the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. This watercolour shows one of the large timber rafts floating down the river, possibly on Lake of Two Mountains, and is more atmospheric than many of the other works of this subject, with the fog on the river and the cooking fires surrounded by the crewmen. It offers a romantic and enchanting insight into a particular aspect of nineteenth-century Canadian life.
Cowley Abbott is pleased to present these two masterworks for sale on May 28th in the live auction of Select Masterworks of Canadian & International Art. We hope that you will visit the auction preview at the gallery beginning Friday, May 16th to enjoy these rare works on paper by Frances Anne Hopkins.
Frances Anne Hopkins Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, 1864Frances Anne Hopkins Lumber Raft on the Ottawa, 1886
Watch Senior Art Specialist Lydia Abbott share insight on the Group of Seven at Lake Superior
Cowley Abbott’s Spring Live Auction will feature masterworks by artists crucial to the story of Canadian art. Depictions of the northern shores of Lake Superior by the founding members of the Group of Seven will take centre stage, reflecting their travels between 1921 and 1928. Over the course of these eight years, the work of the Group members was transformed by the stunning topography and impact of nature’s power at this remarkable junction of lake and land.
The Spring Live Auction will take place in Toronto on Wednesday, May 28th, and will include artwork by celebrated historical, post-war and contemporary artists. The live auction catalogue is now available online to browse.
Franklin Carmichael Port Coldwell, Lake Superior, 1928Lawren Harris Northern Lake, 1922
A.Y. Jackson North Shore, Superior, Near Coldwell, 1923Arthur Lismer Light Breaking Through, Lake Superior, 1927
Cowley Abbott enjoyed a successful preview in Calgary sharing highlights of Select Masterworks of Canadian & International Art with new and seasoned collectors. Thank you to our hosts at Norberg Hall, our guests for attending the various events over the preview and to Canadian Art Hop for including Cowley Abbott in both Calgary and Toronto on the tour.
The auction preview will begin in our Toronto gallery on Friday, May 16th and we are eager to share the artworks with you. We have many exciting upcoming events and our specialists look forward to welcoming you over the coming weeks.
The Spring Live Auction will take place in Toronto on Wednesday, May 28th, and will include artwork by celebrated historical, post-war and contemporary artists. The live auction catalogue is now available online to browse.
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