Our current October online auctions offer a wide range of artworks by renowned Canadian artists, representing the country from coast to coast. The Abstractions Auction offers many commanding and stunning artworks to tempt the eye, while appealing to all levels of collectors. The artistic post-war movements that propelled Canadian art forward after the Group of Seven were innovative and exciting, demonstrating the influence of world views and a new social dialogue.
Claude Tousignant, #5-79-102
Claude Tousignant, #3-75
Claude Tousignant, C-1-78
Claude Tousignant, Oscillations 1956
Four captivating works by Claude Tousignant are exemplary of the artist’s minimalist, expressionist and abstractionist style. The vibrant colours, rich tones and large compositional format of these artworks make them an incredible addition to any discerning collection.
Harold Town, “Abstraction” (1957)
Harold Town, a founder and member of Pahinters Eleven, as well as an accomplished artist, is represented by a variety of works on paper and a delicate sculptural object. Works by this abstract artist from Toronto are highly sought after, instantly adding energy and vibrance to a varied collection of art.
Harold Town, Untitled (Egg)
Harold Town painstakingly created a small number of these “eggs” and gave them as Christmas gifts. The artwork is a symmetrical collage, careful applied upon a plastic egg from which a pair of women’s pantyhose were packaged (as was the packaging used by “L’eggs” from the late 1960s until the early 1990s).
Rita Letendre, Danna
Two significant lots in the auction by Rita Letendre, a leading member of the colourist movement, exemplify her fascination with depicting speed and vibration. Momentum (Lot 2) and Danna (Lot 42) are both a testament to her artistic practice.
Sorel Etrog, Etrusco (Study)
Multiple distinctive sculptures are featured in this auction, providing an attractive and dynamic option for a collector. Etrusco (Study) by Sorel Etrog (lot 10) is a diminutive work by the artist, measuring 4.75 x 1.5 x 1.875 inches (overall). Further sculptural works by Anthony Quinn (lot 11), Antonio Kieff Grediaga (lot 47), Roger Cavalli (lot 48, 49, 50) and Ruben Zellermayer (lot 52 and 53) are lots to pay attention to in the final day of bidding, as they are both accessible in terms of value and add three dimensionality to a gathering of artworks at home or in the office.
Léon Bellefleur, Les écluses
Key post-war highlights in the auction include Les écluses by Léon Bellefleur (lot 1), Carmina Burana No.1 by William Ronald (lot 3), Fentesby Yves Gaucher (lot 44) and Bi-Ocre by Guido Molinari (lot 45).
Yves Gaucher, Fentes
The complete catalogue of artworks included in the Abstractions Online Auction can be foundby following this link. For more information on our three current online auctions, how to book your private preview appointment at the gallery, or our consignment process, please contact us at info@cowleyabbott.ca and one of our specialists would be delighted to assist you.
The Prints, Photography and Multiples auction has been an extremely enjoyable sale to put together. We started to curate the sale just after the close of the International Art auction in June and one of the early consignments was Brice Marden’s Ten Days Portfolio(lot 27). The eight etchings and aquatints in this portfolio were inspired by Marden’s travels in Greece. Often described as a minimalist, these have the same characteristics of his larger works: rectangular formats and a subdued palette, only here on a more intimate level. The provenance is excellent, having been purchased in Toronto and remaining in the same private collection.
Ten Days (Portfolio of 8) (Lewison 20) by Brice Marden Auction Estimate: $60,000-80,000h
Our Senior International Art Specialist had the privilege of spending the afternoon with Christo and Jeanne-Claude in their studio in New York just after The Gates Project in Central Park had been realized in 2005. You realize the amount of work that goes into Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects, as some of the projects are not realized for several years. When we got an email with images of the lithograph, Arc de Triompe Wrapped (A Project for Paris), we were very excited about having this work consigned. This is from the publisher’s edition of 20. ArcdeTriompe Wrapped (A Project for Paris)was issued in an edition of 150 (lot 44). It is even more meaningful as the project is finally being realized in Paris. From September 18 to October 3rd the Arc De Triomphe will be wrapped. Here is the link for the live stream on their website.
Arc De Triomphe Wrapped (Project for Paris) (Schellman 144) by Christo and Jeanne-Claude Auction Estimate: $12,000-16,000
There is a fantastic selection of photography in the sale, including the iconic portrait of Winston Churchill by Yosuf Karsh (lot 64), an interesting series by Yuri Dojc titled the Last Folio(lot 7), which documents the preserved history in a school in Slovakia before World War II, as well as wonderful portraits by Arnold Newman ofPablo Picasso (lot 20),Georgia O’Keefe(lot 19) and Max Ernst(lot 18). The Max Ernst portrait is remarkable. The story behind the work, is that Ernst was drawing a lot of birds at this point in his career and when he saw the portrait, he was very excited, as just beside his face the plumes of smoke suggest the image of a bird.
Winston Churchill by Yousuf Karsh Auction Estimate: $8,000-10,000 The Last Folio Series (8) by Yuri Dojc Auction Estimate: $6,000-8,000Pablo Picasso, Vallauris, France by Arnold Newman Auction Estimate: $2,000-3,000Georgia O’Keefe, Outside of Ghost Ranch by Arnold Newman Auction Estimate: $2,000-3,000Max Ernst by Arnold Newman Auction Estimate: $800-1,200
There are three very special lots that begin the auction, introducing our partnership with Casey House, a hospital in Toronto which specializes in HIV/AIDS care. American photographer Cara Barer starts the auction with a striking work entitled, Heart(lot 1). Characteristic of her manipulation of books into sculptural objects, this work attracted lots of interest as the previews commenced. Vancouver artist Damian Moppett’s playful image of pieces of Lego and a balloon constructs an interesting juxtaposition between the hard and soft qualities of these objects (lot 2). David Burdeny’s striking image, Sweepers, West Lake, Hangzhou China continues his exploration of Asia and its landscape (lot 3).
Heart by Cara Barer Auction Estimate: $800-1,200Untitled (B&W Lego Pcs-Rubber Band) by Damian Moppett Auction Estimate: $1,000-1,500Sweepers, West Lake, Hangzhou, China by David Burdeny Auction Estimate: $1,500-2,000
We are extremely pleased to partner with Casey House in offering these lots. All proceeds from their sale will benefit Casey House Ontario’s HIV/Aids Hospital. We hope there will be many more donations of fine art that we will be able to offer through our sales. As well, we very much look forward to hosting the Art with Heart Preview for Casey House this year and broadcasting the auction live from the Cowley Abbott gallery on Tuesday, October 19th.
An Unprecedented 94% Sell-Through Rate and Numerous Auction Records Achieved at the Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art
Cowley Abbott Continues to Realize Exceptional Results for Canadian Artworks with Hundreds of Bidders Competing via Telephone, Online and Absentee at Auction
The Cowley Abbott Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art on June 9th was brilliantly executed and exceeded expectations. A phenomenal 94% sell-through rate was achieved, several auction records were smashed and 65% of the artworks sold surpassed the high-end of the estimate. The historical, post-war and contemporary art offerings by illustrious Canadian artists attracted a high level of engagement from collectors. The live auction invited hundreds of bidders and thousands of bids via absentee, telephone and online and was executed flawlessly from start to finish.
Our firm has continued to adapt, evolve and grow with the changing climate of the auction industry during the global Covid-19 pandemic. Our combination of innovative and industry leading technology, combined with professional customer service and a sincere passion for art has ensured that we remain engaged with the Canadian art community through every possible avenue.
Ivan Eyre, Amber Pass Price Realized: $288,000
The monumental cover lot, Amber Pass by Ivan Eyre, made its auction debut during the evening sale, surpassing the pre-sale estimate after much spirited bidding to realize $228,000. This canvas is a prime example of Eyre’s large-scale landscapes and was met with avid interest from the moment of the publication of the catalogue. Acquired directly from the collection of the artist, this captivating painting is a fantastic addition for an astute art collector.
Kim Dorland, Green Tree Blue Tree Price Realized: $66,000 (Auction Record)
Cowley Abbott was pleased to be entrusted with two works by the accomplished Alberta-born contemporary artist, Kim Dorland. Green Tree Blue Tree, a commanding oil, acrylic and spray paint on wood panel painting, which was included in the 2013 McMichael Canadian Art Collection exhibition, You are Here: Kim Dorland and the Return to Painting, soared to a new auction record of $66,000. Untitled, another painting by Dorland that explores Canada’s long-established tradition of landscape painting also found a new home selling for $18,000. Records were further smashed by another Canadian contemporary artist, John Hartman, as The Old Port and Mount Royal exceeded pre-sale expectations to sell for $24,000.
Franklin Carmichael, Orillia (1915) Price Realized: $144,000
The auction house was delighted to offer an early painting by Franklin Carmichael, Orillia (1915), for the first time at auction. The impressionistic winter scene originally belonged to the family of the artist and was passed down to the current Ontario private collection. This charming painting was completed prior to the formation of the Group of Seven and, as anticipated, feverish bidding ensued when the lot opened for bidding, eventually hammering down at $144,000.
A rare and early canvas by celebrated artist A.Y. Jackson, which was extensively exhibited and belonged to the painter’s brother, garnered ample attention in the weeks leading to the auction to extend to $90,000 in the evening auction. October Morning, Épisy was painted “en plein-air” by Jackson in 1909, and the composition showcases his mastery of light at the age of 27, more than a decade before the Group of Seven would be formed. This canvas was complemented by four other exquisite oil sketches by Jackson offered in the auction, which were all admired and achieved success.
Homer Watson, The Old Mill Price Realized: $38,400
Historical Canadian art demanded attention at this auction, as fierce bidding was ignited between telephone and online bidders for a nostalgic landscape painting by Homer Watson. This detailed 30 x 40-inch canvas commanded a final value of $38,400. A distinctive and self-assured work by David Milne executed in watercolour circa 1913 was a favourite amongst clients, achieving $33,600. The beautiful Portrait of Louise by Cornelius Krieghoff, an intimate and tender portrait of the artist’s wife, found a new home at $18,000, while the first lot in the auction by the distinguished J.W. Beatty, Farm Machinery, possibly executed while the artist was an official war artist in France of 1918, sold for $11,400. Further interest for historical artworks was displayed with a vibrant oil by Arthur Lismer, Fisherman’s Gear, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia achieving $24,000, while fellow Group member, the renowned Lawren Harris, drew attention with the offer of an important drawing executed in 1930 while on a trip with A.Y. Jackson. Arctic Tent, Pangnirtung, Baffin Island is one of a number of preparatory sketches produced by the artist while on this trip, with only three oil sketches of an Inuit tent within a landscape later painted. This rare work on paper sold for $20,400.
Further records were shattered at the evening auction, with appreciation shown for Prudence Heward of The Beaver Hall Group. A leading figure painter in the 1920s and 1930s, Heward’s Mrs. Decco (1940) was extensively exhibited in the 1940s and was originally acquired from the estate of the artist. This powerful portrait attracted attention from collectors from the instant the catalogue was produced and ascended to $90,000, setting a new auction record for the artist.
Maud Lewis, Flowers in Red Pot Price Realized: $48,000 (Auction Record)
Cowley Abbott was pleased to be entrusted with numerous works by accomplished Canadian female artists, of which many experienced vigorous bidding during the June 9th auction. Notably, four paintings by Maud Lewis were met with enthusiasm, with competitive bidding taking place between absentee, telephone and online bidders. White Kitten in a Tea Cup, a rare and witty work by the beloved Maritime artist reached $38,400, quickly followed by At the Train Station selling for $44,440 and Surprised Deer for $28,800. The surprise of the evening was Flowers in Red Pot, painted around 1967, one of a small number of flower pot paintings executed by Maud Lewis, which broke the auction record for the artist by selling for $48,000. The results accomplished by Maud Lewis were remarkable, with the price realized of three of these works being the highest price ever paid at auction for a work by Maudie.
Molly Lamb Bobak Cafeteria, a rare and intimate portrayal of the activities at home during the Second World War, sold for $7,200. An additional popular work by Bobak, Flowers 4, hammered down at $10,200. Pegi Nicol MacLeod, another artist from Eastern Canada, received ample attention in the lead up to the auction. Bunks, a striking watercolour completed while an official war artist during the Second World War fetched $7,200, while the energetic and ebullient Centennial Parade (Fredericton) attained $18,000.
Two paintings by Toronto favourite Doris McCarthy were sought after: Barachois sold for $9,600 and The Pines at the Keyhole for $4,800. Quebec female artists Marcella Maltais and Lise Gervais were represented in the auction. Rébellion by Maltais, an accomplished 1957 abstract oil on canvas reached $18,000 and the enigmatic La Voie d’Enfer (1959) by Gervais ascended to $31,200, to the delight of collectors. A diminutive abstract by Rita Letendre found a new home at $11,400 and Marian Mildred Dale Scott rounded out the offerings with a circa 1966 experimental geometric abstraction selling for $7,200.
Jack Bush, Untitled (circa 1958) Price Realized: 27,600
The Spring Live Auction witnessed solid prices for a wide range of post-war works of art, including the art of Jack Bush: Girl with Red Hair blasted through the pre-sale estimate to reach $48,000; The Red Square, originally in the collection of the artist, sold for $10,800; and House on the Highway completed in 1947 sold for $7,800. Perhaps the most interesting work by the artist included in the June 9th auction was Untitled (circa 1958), which hammered down at $27,600. This brightly coloured gouache made its debut at auction with Cowley Abbott and was painted during a key period when Bush was breaking away from figurative painting to embrace abstraction. What is particularly notable about this work is the fact that it was a gift from Jack Bush to fellow Painters Eleven member, William Ronald. As recounted by his widow, Helen Ronald, the two artists met up one day in 1958 so that Bush could show Ronald the new direction he was taking in his painting. During this encounter, Bush presented the colourful gouache on paper to his friend as a gift. Ronald was so impressed and touched by the artwork that he held onto it for the remainder of his life.
A key highlight in the auction were two exceptional paintings by William Kurelek. One painting was originally owned by the estate of the artist, Haystacks and Ducks (Ukrainian Series). This was one of the final paintings completed by the artist, a rare discovery, which sold for $55,200. In the 1973 The Grouse Mountain Sky Ride, Kurelek depicts the summer activities of the popular Vancouver ski destination, Grouse Mountain Resort. This mixed media on board was favoured amongst collectors, selling for $60,000.
Doug Morton, Two with Grey (1965) Price Realized: $26,400 (Auction Record)
A variety of post-war offerings also drew competitive bidding during the spring catalogue sale, breaking auction records. Midsummer Dawn, Percé by the Scottish-born Canadian artist Charles Comfort was completed in 1977 on one of his trips to Quebec. This outstanding depiction of an iconic landmark soared through an auction record previously set by Cowley Abbott for the artist, to achieve $43,200. Doug Morton, of Regina Five fame, was represented in the sale by Two with Grey (1965). The vivid colours which energize the pictorial space of this masterful work caught the attention of many, setting an auction record for the artist at $26,400.
Multiple distinctive sculptures by Sorel Etrog were featured in the auction, a significant sculptor known for his dynamic and elegant creations. Cowley Abbott was thrilled to be entrusted with six phenomenal works by the artist: the sophisticated and stoic sculpture of Manon, standing at just under five feet was met with lively bidding to $102,000. Steady interest from collectors was apparent for four diminutive bronze works by Etrog, including Solo Study for $22,800, La Mer Study for $9,600, Study for Madonna Bust for $9,000 and Magic Barrel for $6,600. The expressive Homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, with its contained emotion and marked reverence for the revolutionary figure attained $33,600.
We extend our thanks to the collectors, clients, bidders and buyers who helped to ensure that our Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art was a triumph. We look forward to continuing to provide the highest level of engagement and service to collectors in the industry and are currently accepting consignments for our forthcoming live and online auctions. If you feel our firm can be of service, we would be pleased to provide a complimentary and confidential consultation. Please contact our specialists at 1-866-931-8415 or mail@cowleyabbott.ca.
Our March 2021 Online Auction of Indigenous and Inuit Artwork offers a fantastic opportunity for collectors to diversify their collections with important works from renowned artists.
Indigenous Art encompasses a variety of styles, practices and techniques from living cultures based outside of European, or Eurocentric traditions. Indigenous Art is the longest living art form in Canada, a highly dynamic form of art grown out of cultural continuity and expression, drawing upon themultilayered voices of people who have inhabited these lands for generations. Art is an integral part of the preservation and expression of culture, and Indigenous Art celebrates the heritage and traditions of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit.
Cowley Abbott is pleased to present a unique selection of commanding artworks by Indigenous artists, which reflect the customs and culture of the Indigenous in an array of art forms from sculpture, to textiles, to print works.
Bill Reid, “Eagle”
Bill Reid, Eagle
The fusion of Haida traditions with a modernist technique is quintessential to Bill Reid’s artwork, resulting in the creation of exquisite works ranging from the diminutive to the monumental. Reid mastered several media, including carving in silver, gold, wood and argillite, referring to himself as “a maker of things” rather than an artist. He crafted objects of adornment that were variations on traditional crest designs or identity symbols, such as this delicately carved pendant. “Eagle” exemplifies Reid’s mission to express the visual traditions of his ancestors in a contemporary form, mastering his complexity of three-dimensional forms. Reid had studied the culture and myths of the Haida in the course of his research, adapting carving designs and works illustrated in anthropological literature, seeking to reference the fundamental techniques of historical Haida art. The figure of the Eagle is an important being in the oral history of the Haida, respected for its intelligence and power as a hunter.
“Eagle” is an elegantly executed Haida-inspired design, related to a 1969 fossil ivory work, “Eagle Pendant” (Collection of Sherrard Grauer). As noted by Karen Duffek, “A pendant of fossil ivory made in 1969 presents the Eagle in a manner still related to past imagery but already hinting at Reid’s forthcoming carving, ‘The Raven Discovering Mankind in a Clamshell’ (1970, Museum of Anthropology, UBC). It is primarily in the finely carved feathers, the arched wings, and the configuration of two-dimensional elements that a continuity of image can be seen.
”Norval Morrisseau, “Thunderbird Young”
Norval Morrisseau, Thunderbird Young
Ground-breaking artist Norval Morrisseau, born in 1931 in Sandy Point Reserve, Ontario, worked beyond European- based conventions and drew from Anishinaabe cultural traditions to develop his powerful and unique artistic vision.Morrisseau was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts since 1970 and is celebrated founder of the Woodland School, which revitalized Anishinaabe iconography, traditionally incised on rocks and Midewiwin birchbark scrolls. A self-taught painter, printmaker, and illustrator,Morrisseau created an innovative vocabulary which was initially criticized in the Native community for its disclosure of traditional spiritual knowledge. Hiscolourful, figurative images delineated with heavy black form lines and x-ray articulations, were characteristically signed with the syllabic spelling of Copper Thunderbird, the name Morrisseau’s grandfather gave him.
“Thunderbird Young” is an excellent example of the artist’s signature kraft card artworks with emphasis on strong line, bold colour, and articulation of his cultural heritage through visual arts.
Kenojuak Ashevak “Owls in Evening Light” and “Timiatjuak”
Kenojuak Ashevak, Timiatjuak
Kenojuak Ashevak has created some of the most recognizable images in Canadian art. Images of bold graphic owls in fiery reds and ink blacks are some of the artist’s most popular works. Kenojuak embraced printmaking in the 1960s and 1970s after first beginning her drawing practice in the late 1950s in Kinngait (Cape Dorset). In 1961, she was the subject of a film produced by the National Film Board of Canada on her life and work, which was key to introducing the artist more globally. Kenojuak travelled around the world as an ambassador for Inuit art and won numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada, a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, the Governor General’s Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts, and was the first Inuit artist to be inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Winnie Tatya, “Figures and Animals”
Winnie Tatya, Figures and Animals
Born in 1931, Winnie Tatya is a widely exhibited and celebrated multi-disciplinary artist who is recognized for her tapestry works of figures and animals. Often using brightly coloured felt to create the figures and animals, Tatya uses complementary embroidery floss to add pattern, design and texture to the works. Graphic in nature, the wall hangings make for beautiful storytelling pieces in “classically organized compositions…all tightly embroidered with great and rewarding care.” The artist has exhibited her works with the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of the Canadian Embassy organized by Arctic Inuit Art, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Bayly Art Museum at the University of Virginia, among many others. Her work resides in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Edmonton Art Gallery, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the University of Alberta, and the Inuit Cultural Institute, amongst many other prominent private collections.
A variety of stone sculptures by artists such as Sheokjuk Oqutaq, Kumukuluk Saggiak, Napachie Ashoona, Thomassie Tukai and Johnny Tunnillie are featured in the current online auction and make for wonderful three-dimensional additions to create a dynamic, varied and powerful collection of artwork.
For more information on this auction, our consignment process and details regarding our upcoming September Online Auction of Indigenous and Inuit Artwork, please contact us at info@cowleyabbott.ca and one of our specialists would be delighted to assist you.
Literature Sources:
Robert Kardosh, “Works on Cloth, Imagery by artists of Baker Lake, Nunavut,” Marion Scott Gallery, 2002, page 10
Martine J. Reid, “Bill Reid Collected”, Douglas & McIntyre/ The Bill Reid Foundation, Toronto, 2016, page 83 for related work, “Eagle Pendant” (1969)
Karen Duffek, “Beyond the Essential Form”, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 1986, page 43
Peter L. Macnair, Alan L. Hoover and Kevin Neary, “The Legacy: Tradition andInnovation in Northwest Coast Indian Art”, Toronto/Vancouver, 1984, pages 85-86
A niche collecting market within Canadian art, Sampson-Matthews silkscreens are bold and iconic images of the Canadian landscape and regional ways of life. Produced with high quality oil pigments, the silkscreens have stood the test of time. The vibrant colour and drama of these artworks, created by leading historical Canadian artists, provides an excellent opportunity for collectors to build their collection with the commanding imagery of Sampson-Matthews.
A lion in the printmaking industry, Sampson-Matthews was founded by Ernest Sampson, a pioneer of silkscreen printing in Canada, and Charles Matthews. The firm was a frequent stop for many artists working in the graphic arts and printmaking realms of art. Celebrated Canadian artists, such as A.Y. Jackson, A.J. Casson, and Franklin Carmichael all collaborated with the firm.
Joseph Sidney Hallam, The Log Drive (Sampson Matthews silkscreen)
One of the largest art projects in Canadian art history, the Sampson-Matthews Silkscreen Project was a defining moment in establishing the concept of ‘Canadian Art’ and a massive morale booster during the Second World War. As Joyce Zemans writes, this project was “largely responsible for shaping our notion of Canadian art and Canadian identity” (Zemans, 7). The pre-eminent printmaking firm in Canada, Sampson-Matthews Ltd., was the natural choice for a national art project.
Spearheaded by A.Y. Jackson in 1942, the project was designed primarily for military use and evolved into an educational program with the goal to make Canadian art accessible. Moreover, the project was designed to promote a national identity, as Canada was still a young country. As a war-artist during the First World War, Jackson saw first-hand not only the horrors of war, but the way in which the military was inextricably linked to national and cultural identity.
Jackson proposed that this project be targeted for military distribution to bases across Canada and throughout the world, eventually to expand into schools and social clubs. Over the course of the 30-year project, 118 images were produced by Sampson-Matthews, thirty-six of which were part of the wartime series. Thirty-six prints were produced after the Second World War in partnership with the National Gallery of Canada, and an additional fifteen images were produced with Sampson-Matthews after the National Gallery of Canada ceased their partnership in 1955. All of the prints were designed with between ten to twenty oil-based colours and to reflect Canadian life and the landscape, with geographic representation from across the country.
Joseph Ernest Sampson, Gaspe (Sampson Matthews silkscreen)
Jackson, understanding the harsh realities for artists during periods of war and the limited opportunities for sustainable work, sought to involve both young and established artists in the project, as a way to promote their work and create jobs. In late 1943, the first series of twenty-five works were completed in a large format, measuring 30 x 40 inches. A smaller size was later produced for certain images to offer economical options for the public.
On the production side of the project, Chuck (Charles) Matthews and A.J. Casson oversaw the printing of the works. Collectors will sometimes find Casson’s signature in ballpoint pen in the lower corner or at the edge of a work, signifying that the artist personally oversaw the print’s production.
Images from thirty-nine prominent Canadian artists were selected, including works by: Franklin Arbuckle, Harold Beament, Bertram Binning, Fritz Brandtner, Emily Carr, A.J. Casson, Paraskeva Clark, Albert Cloutier, Alan Collier, Charles Comfort, Rody Kenny Courtice, Berthe Des Clayes, Arthur Ensor, Frederick Stanley Haines, Joseph Sydney Hallam, Lawren Harris, Hilton Hassell, Yvonne McKague Housser, Jack Humphrey, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald, Thoreau MacDonald, Isabel McLaughlin, James Wilson Morrice, L.A.C. Panton, Ruth May Pawson, Walter J. Phillips, Arthur Donald Price, Tom Roberts, Sarah Robertson, Albert Henry Robinson, Joseph Ernest Sampson, Tom Thomson, Stanley Francis Turner, Sydney Hollinger Watson, Horace Watson Wickenden and Dorothy Williams.
W.J. Phillips, Mount Eisenhower (Sampson Matthews silkscreen)
Through an international promotional campaign, thousands of prints found their way to the U.K., Germany, American bases, and even Russia. In 1943, Colonel C.R. Hill, Director of Special Services, noted that: “From a morale standpoint, these pictures have tremendous value. Perhaps particularly in the case of men who have been away from Canada for two or three years, the display of Canadian scenes will make them conscious of the land and cause for which they are called upon to fight. To those men who are still in Canada but who have to live under camp conditions, the pictures will bring a touch of beauty badly needed to counter act the dullness of their environment” (Zemans, 13). The project was living proof of the power of art and its ability to help define nationhood and art history in a pivotal moment in Canadian history.
Prints from the Sampson-Matthews project are wonderful tokens of Canadian art history and are regularly sought after by collectors. For new collectors entering the art market, the prints offer a perfect entry point to acquire an iconic image by a recognized Canadian historical artist. With unique ties to Canadian military and political history, the prints allow insight into the country’s early endeavours to define a national identity and build unification within a bourgeoning and diverse country.
A.J. Casson, Ontario Village (Sampson Matthews silkscreen)
Cowley Abbott is pleased to be entrusted with this collection from the Archives of Sampson-Matthews Ltd., comprised of a selection of unique prints from the Sampson-Matthews Silkscreen Project, as well as Canadian historical artworks and artifacts. For more information on this forthcoming auction and project, contact our specialists at 416-479-9703 or info@cowleyabbott.ca
Sources
Joyce Zemans, “Envisioning Nation: Nationhood, Identity and the Sampson-Matthews Silkscreen Project: The Wartime Prints,” Journal of Canadian Art History, Vol. 19, no. 1 (1998) pages 6-51
