Tag: Emily Carr

  • Defining Nationhood: The Sampson-Matthews Silkscreen Project

    A.J. Casson, Algonquin Park (Sampson Matthews silkscreen)

    In conjunction with our popular February Online Auction of Works on Paper, Prints & Books, Cowley Abbott is delighted to present a special second session auction offering a selection of works from the Archives of Sampson-Matthews Ltd., which includes a variety of rare silkscreens from the Sampson-Matthews Silkscreen Project.

    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

    The Sampson-Matthews Print Collection:http://www.sampsonmatthewsprints.com/

  • Records Smashed and Prosperity Achieved for Exceptional Artworks at Fall Auction of Important Canadian Art

    The December 3rd Auction Telecast
    An Image of the December 3rd Auction Telecast

    Cowley Abbott, A Leader in the Canadian Auction Industry, Continues to Realize Strong Results for Canadian Historical, Post-War and Contemporary Art at Auction

    The Cowley Abbott Fall Auction of Important Canadian Art on December 3rd was a resounding success, attaining excellent results and connecting collectors with superior artworks by renowned Canadian artists representing the country from coast to coast. In several instances, collectors participating over the telephone and online drove bidding to record levels, leading to the unprecedented values reached for select works by celebrated Canadian historical, post-war and contemporary artists.

    Jack Bush, Column on Browns (1965) Price Realized: $870,000 (Auction Record)
    Jack Bush, Column on Browns (1965)
    Price Realized: $870,000 (Auction Record)

    A monumental masterwork by Jack Bush, Column on Browns, made its auction debut, soaring to a new world auction record of $870,000, after spirited bidding took place over multiple platforms. This captivating canvas was featured in major international exhibitions, including “Colorists 1950-1965” at the San Francisco Museum of Art and the Sao Paulo IX Biennial in 1967. The commanding work from Bush’s golden period of the mid-1960s was met with much admiration and excitement from the moment of the publication of the catalogue and is a remarkable addition to any discerning art collection. 

    Jack Bush, Summer Gone (1976) Price Realized: $90,000
    Jack Bush, Summer Gone (1976)
    Price Realized: $90,000

    The auction house was delighted to be entrusted with another seminal work by Jack Bush, Summer Gone, the first triangle-shaped canvas executed by the artist as part of a series of shaped canvases in August 1976. The shape of Summer Gone is an irregular triangle with different lengths on all three sides, allowing Bush freedom from the restrictions of the traditional picture plane. Bush only created four triangle paintings, with this rare canvas selling for $90,000. 

    Emily Carr, Forest Glade (Dark Glade) Price Realized: $216,000
    Emily Carr, Forest Glade (Dark Glade)
    Price Realized: $216,000

    Cowley Abbott was again delighted to offer numerous works by accomplished Canadian female artists, many of which garnered energetic bidding during the Fall Auction, notably Emily Carr’s Forest Glade (Dark Glade), reaching $216,000. This painting radiates with compositional energy, eloquently capturing Carr’s deep connection to the wild, untamed beauty of the forest. Rita Letendre, an electric and dazzling painter, demanded attention with three works by the celebrated artist selling well overestimate. Untitled reached $28,000 and Manotik sold for $20,400 – airbrushed compositions of forceful chevrons and diagonal bands of exploding colours, both from the most celebrated period of Letendre’s artistic oeuvre.  Dorothy Knowles, a beloved Saskatchewan painter, saw reward with the enigmatic canvases, The Noon Sun ($7,000) and Bright Weeds ($26,400). 

    Tom Hodgson Non Objective, Bluish Price Realized: $60,000 (Auction Record)
    Tom Hodgson
    Non Objective, Bluish
    Price Realized: $60,000
    (Auction Record)

    Further records were smashed in the December 3rd evening auction, with appreciation shown for Painter’s Eleven’s artist, Tom Hodgson. An energized, abstract masterpiece, Non Objective (Bluish), found a new home selling for $60,000, an auction record for the multitalented painter and athlete. Fellow member of the Painter’s Eleven abstract artist’s collective, Ray Mead, was much sought after in the lead-up to the auction, with Untitled, a 1959 painting fetching $15,600. 

    Attention for historical Canadian art was strong, as Surf, Barbados, B.W.I by J.E.H. MacDonald commanded a final value of $21,600 and a dynamic, yet diminutive oil on board by J.W. Morrice, Coast, Brittany, sold for $45,600. Rain on the River (Morning on the River) by David Milne, a favourite artist amongst collectors, achieved $40,800. Ungava Bay by A.Y. Jackson, a sketch for a canvas in the collection of Hart House, hammered down at $48,000, representing the artist’s vision and connection to the Arctic landscape. Another success in the historical realm was Martello Tower, Montreal by Ethel Seath, selling for $24,000. 

    Cowley Abbott was entrusted with a painting by the esteemed artist and physician, Sir Frederick Grant Banting. 2021 marks the centenary of the discovery of insulin by Banting, a momentous discovery that changed the lives of millions of people and for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1923. Island, French River, Ontario, suffused with colour, light and shadow, sold for $31,200, a brilliant result for this historical Canadian figure.

    Alex Janvier, Shoreline Existence Price Realized: $31,200 (Auction Record)
    Alex Janvier, Shoreline Existence
    Price Realized: $31,200 (Auction Record)

    A founding member of the Professional Native Indian Artists, established in 1973, Dene and Anishinaabe (Salteaux) artist Alex Janvier of Cold Lake, Alberta, was an integral component of the auction. Shoreline Existence, a striking acrylic on canvas, set a new auction record at $31,200 after competitive bidding. 

    Three automatic works by Jock Macdonald executed in 1947 well exceeded their pre-sale estimates with vigorous telephone bidding the night of the auction. Untitled (Two Creatures) sold for $6,600, Prehistoric World for $10,200 and New Fruit for $7,800. 

    Jean Paul Riopelle, Dieppes (1965) Price Realized: $130,500
    Jean Paul Riopelle, Dieppes (1965)
    Price Realized: $130,500

    A prominent member of the Automatistes, Jean Paul Riopelle’s Dieppes (1966) sold for $130,500, while his small but mighty painting, Sans titre, 1970, had collectors clambering, achieving a final selling price of $52,800. The works of Ted Harrison were again met with avid interest – Yukon Priest selling for $19,200 and The Walk finding a buyer at $10,200.

    The impressive results of the Fall Auction of Important Canadian Art are due to the active participation of both new and old bidders alike, as well as the unwavering support of the Canadian art community. We extend our sincere gratitude to the clients, bidders and buyers who helped to ensure that our Fall Live Auction was a triumph. 

    A.Y. Jackson, Ungava Bay Price Realized: $48,000
    A.Y. Jackson, Ungava Bay
    Price Realized: $48,000

    The new year begins with an exciting season of online auctions, offering a wide range of artwork for all levels of collectors. The team at Cowley Abbott is already hard at work preparing the tremendous offerings to be presented in the Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art and we greatly look forward to sharing the catalogue in the coming months. Cowley Abbott is currently accepting consignments for its upcoming auctions and 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

  • Museum-Quality Canvas by Quebec Master Jean Paul Lemieux Debuts at Cowley Abbott Fall Auction

    Jean Paul Lemieux, Basse messe, dimanche

    Basse messe, dimanche by Quebec Master, Lemieux is among historical and post-war auction highlights from Consignor Canadian Fine Art, now Cowley Abbott

    October 23, 2019 (Toronto, ON) – An exceptional opportunity to own a major canvas by one of Canada’s most celebrated painters is up for auction from Cowley Abbott (formerly Consignor Canadian Fine Art) as part of its semi-annual Fall Live Auction of Important Canadian Art, taking place Tuesday, November 19 at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum. Presenting key work by Canada’s preeminent historical and post-war artists, many of which will be going under the hammer for the first time, the newly minted Cowley Abbott will also be celebrating the rebrand of the auction house under the monikers of its principals, Canadian auction industry veterans Rob Cowley and Lydia Abbott.

    Jean Paul Lemieux’s Basse messe, dimanche (Low Mass, Sunday), painted in the classic style for which the artist is most celebrated, will make its auction debut with an estimate of $300,000 – $500,000. Basse messe, dimanche is a stunning canvas that depicts a group of parishioners exiting a church in the early morning, exposed to the winter cold under the harsh light of a white moon. Measuring nearly eight feet wide, the painting is one of the largest of the period by a key figure in Canadian modernity. Imbued with themes of Nordic sensibility and melancholy, Lemieux drew inspiration from memories of a bygone era in which Quebec traditions, customs, and popular religious beliefs gave life and structure to the artist’s community.

    “It is our privilege to introduce Basse messe, dimanche to the public for the first time at auction,” said Rob Cowley, President, Cowley Abbott. “This commanding, stunning canvas provides Jean Paul Lemieux’s classic view of Quebec and Canadian culture, effectively capturing themes of community, faith and isolation across an expansive winter landscape. The rich colour and larger-than-life characters that occupy the spectacular composition have stopped collectors in their tracks during early previews of this important painting by one of our country’s most renowned painters.”

    The fall auction also provides a chance to own a piece of Canadian history, with a rare work on offer by Canadian scientist, physician, painter and Nobel Prize recipient Sir Frederick Banting. European Landscape (1925) was painted during his trip to Europe where he accepted the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his involvement in the discovery of insulin; and the work provides a rare glimpse from Banting at the point of receiving the highest honour in his field. As the then youngest laureate and first Canadian to receive the prestigious prize, Banting was also named Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” on the cover of its August 1923 issue, making him a renowned figure of scientific progress around the world. The painting has a distinguished provenance that includes being privately owned by members of the Banting family, and is accompanied by a letter from Banting’s son detailing the piece’s history and the trip during which the painting was created. European Landscape has a pre-auction estimate of $20,000 – $30,000, which Cowley Abbott anticipates could exceed expectations.

    Multiple key works by William Kurelek will be featured in Cowley Abbott’s fall live auction including Pioneer Homestead on a Winter’s Evening (1971). Housed in a custom frame made by Kurelek, the painting depicts a Ukrainian woman drawing water from a well on the Canadian prairie in winter, and is an exemplary showcase of the artist’s characteristic themes and subject matter related to immigration, farming on the Prairies, Ukrainian heritage, and the harsh beauty of the Western Canadian landscape. The painting comes from the private collection of a Ukrainian-Canadian family in Toronto with an auction estimate of $50,000 – $70,000.

    From the same collection comes Brothers, a larger winter farming painting by William Kurelek that has an auction estimate of $100,000 – $150,000. Commissioned by the family following their purchase of Pioneer Homestead on a Winter’s Evening, the composition presents two brothers walking together on a vast Prairie landscape, distantly following their father upon a horse-drawn sleigh.

    “Our Fall Auction of Important Canadian Art features striking and rare examples by our country’s illustrious painters, sculptors and print-makers. Entrusted to our firm from Canadian and International private and corporate collections, it is a pleasure for our team to present these fantastic works to the collecting public, in many cases for the first time.” – Lydia Abbott, Vice-President, Cowley Abbott

    Other notable artworks featured in Cowley Abbott’s Fall Live Auction include:

    • A 1936 painting by Emily Carr depicting the Strait of Juan de Fuca, is a richly coloured work alive with the movement of the ruggedly beautiful British Columbia landscape. The painting comes from a United States private collection, available at auction for the first time with an estimate of $125,000 – $175,000
    • Two rare canvasses by 19th century master Cornelius Krieghoff, bothfrom a private collection: Indian Encampment by a River Autumn (1849) is being offered with a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 -$80,000 and Hudson Bay Trader (1845-47) at $40,000 – $60,000
    • La Mare, Baie St. Paul, a 1920 oil on panel by Quebec painter Clarence Gagnon. This panel, a sketch for The Pond in October housed in the National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection, is being offered with an estimate of $15,000 – $20,000
    • A trailblazer for women in the arts in Canada, Molly Lamb Bobak’s Highland Games, Fredericton is expected to excite collectors with its colourful and heavily populated setting during the city’s Highland Games Festival. This large 40” x 48” canvas is likely to exceed its pre-sale estimate of $30,000 – $50,000
    • One of Canada’s earliest and most renowned champions of abstraction, Bertram Brooker’s Autumn Bouquet makes its first appearance at auction, subject to a $20,000-30,000 estimate. Cowley Abbott set an auction record for a work by Brooker in the fall of 2018, Delta Ice House more than tripling its opening bid to fetch $82,600

    Historical offerings in the auction also include the workof the Group of Seven, Sybil Andrews, J.W. Beatty, André Biéler, J.W. Morrice, P.C. Sheppard, M.A. Suzor-Coté, Robert Pilot and Frederick Verner.

    Post-War Contemporary and Abstraction artists are also strongly represented in the sale with works by David Blackwood, Jack Bush, Greg Curnoe, Sorel Etrog, Paterson Ewen, Joe Fafard, Betty Goodwin, Ted Harrison, Gershon Iskowitz, Maud Lewis, John Little, Jean McEwen, Norval Morrisseau, Kazuo Nakamura, William Perehudoff, Bill Reid, Goodridge Roberts, Otto Rogers, Gordon Smith and Takao Tanabe.

    Live previews will take place at the Cowley Abbott Gallery located at 326 Dundas Street West (located across the street from the Art Gallery of Ontario) beginning the weekend of Art Toronto – Friday, October 25. Cowley Abbott’s Fall Live Auction of Important Canadian Art will take place on Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m. EST at the Gardiner Museum located at 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON.

    Since its inception in 2013, Cowley Abbott’s live and online auctions have included headline-grabbing works such as a rare 100-year-old Tom Thomson portrait (Daydreaming, sold for $172,500), a celebrated depiction of Kensington Market by William Kurelek (Hot Day in Kensingon Market, sold for $472,000), and Jack Bush’s Summer Lake, which broke online auction records in May 2014 for the most expensive painting by a Canadian artist to be sold in an online auction ($310,500). Their inaugural live auction event in May 2016 set the record for the highest-selling Algoma sketch by Lawren Harris, fetching $977,500, tripling the previous auction record.

    Cowley Abbott is currently accepting consignments for its upcoming auctions. Cowley Abbott offers all-inclusive selling commissions and the lowest buyer’s premium in the industry. Those interested in consignment can arrange a complimentary and confidential consultation by contacting Cowley Abbott’s specialists at 1-866-931-8415 or mail@cowleyabbott.ca.

  • Harris, Milne, Tousignant & Perehudoff Highlight Spring Live Auction

    David Milne, Soft Hills (Misty Hill) (Boston Corners, N.Y.)

    Related work to Harris’ Record-Breaking Algoma sketch hits the Block with Masterworks by David Milne & Claude Tousignant debuting at Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s Spring Live Auction on May 28

    May 1, 2019 (Toronto, ON) – Lawren Harris rarely repeated subject matter, but the familiar depiction of Algoma, an island of tall trees, was a pivotal scene for the renowned Canadian artist, serving as the focus of several large-scale canvases. In 2016, Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s inaugural live auction event set the record for the highest-selling sketch of the Algoma region by Lawren Harris, fetching $977,500, tripling the previous auction record. Now, two new Harris sketches of the area will go on the auction block at Consignor’s Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art, taking place May 28 (7pm) at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum.

    Algoma Sketch XCII (Algoma Autumn), painted in 1920, marks an important place in Canadian art history, portraying the region where the Group of Seven embarked on their first sketching trips as an official association. The colourful oil sketch depicting a densely populated forest scene is being offered with an auction estimate of $150,000 to $250,000.

    Another of Harris’ works, Algoma, is a graphite drawing depicting the familiar island scene and serves as a related work for major canvases by the artist, including paintings at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The graphite sketch has an estimated value of $15,000 to $20,000 but could exceed expectations based on the strong past performance at Consignor’s auctions of Harris’ graphite studies including the sale of Lake Superior in 2017 for $161,000, a record for a Harris work in this medium.

    “Lawren Harris’ work continues to captivate collectors and art enthusiasts across Canada and beyond our borders, and we are already witnessing a great deal of interest and excitement for the two Harris artworks included in our upcoming auction,” said Rob Cowley, President of Consignor Canadian Fine Art. “No matter the medium, Harris’ Algoma compositions are a fascinating display of the region and his development as one of our Canada’s most renowned artists. We are proud to have achieved record-breaking results for Harris’ work in oil and graphite over the past few years and are pleased to offer two works connected to such a pivotal area and period for Harris and the Group.”

    David Milne’s Soft Hills (Misty Hills) (Boston Corners, N.Y.), a masterful watercolour painted by the artist in 1917 also appears for the first time at auction at the May 28th evening sale. Composed shortly after Milne and his family moved to the small village of Boston Corners, watercolours from the region are considered to be some of Milne’s most iconic, this stunning work a perfect example, on offer with an auction estimate of $40,000 to 60,000.

    Other notable artworks featured in Consignor’s Spring Live Auction include:

    • Claude Tousignant, Absurdo (1964), 72” x 72”, a mesmerizing canvas by the celebrated Quebec abstractionist, recently on view at Calgary’s Mount Royal University (auction estimate $60,000 to 80,000)
    • William Perehudoff, AC-69-29 (1969), 63.5″ x 87.75″, a quintessential Colour-Field canvas, showcasing the unique voice of the Prairies abstract master.
    • William Kurelek, Tale of a Dog, 13.25” x 1.25”, mixed media on board, was gift from Kurelek to its current owner, a fellow framer and friend, is offered up for sale for the first time (auction estimate $7,000 to $9,000)
    • Tom Thomson, Road Near Leith, 8.25″ x 13.5″, a rare and early canvas by the famed Canadian landscape painter, depicting the area near his childhood home.

    The auction includes strong examples by many of Canada’s most important historical artists including the Group of Seven (A.Y. Jackson, J.E.H. MacDonald, Frederick Varley, Franklin Carmichael, Frank Johnston and Edwin Holgate), M.A. Suzor-Coté, and Robert Pilot, as well as renowned post-war and contemporary Canadian painters such as Jack Bush, Harold Town, Walter Yarwood, Ray Mead, Rita Letendre, Guido Molinari, Ken Lochhead, Sorel Etrog, Bill Reid, Robert Bateman, Maud Lewis and Joe Fafard, among others.

    Live previews are currently taking place at the Consignor Canadian Fine Art Gallery located at 326 Dundas Street West and viewable at consignor.ca. Consignor’s Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art will take place on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 7pm at the Gardiner Museum located at 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON. The auction’s second session will be held online, with more than 150 works of art available for bidding between May 22 to June 5, 2019.

  • Kurelek Masterwork Fetches $472,000 During Record-Breaking Spring Auction

    William Kurelek, Hot Day in Kensington MarketToronto, ON (May 29, 2018) – Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s Spring Live Auction of Important Canadian Art, held Tuesday evening at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum, concluded with stellar results for a wide range of rare and quality artworks which celebrate Canada’s diverse history and culture.

    Among the exemplary works up for bid was the auction debut of William Kurelek’s Toronto series masterpiece, Hot Day in Kensington Market, which more than tripled its opening bid, selling for $472,000 – the second highest auction price on record for the artist (all prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium, the lowest in the Canadian auction industry).

    A second painting by Kurelek entitled Hauling Hay also easily surpassed its pre-auction estimate, fetching $94,400.

    The most surprising result of the evening was a record set for renowned Canadian war artist, Charles Comfort, whose oil on board titled, Smokestacks, Copper Cliff, sold for $33,040; six-times its auction estimate of $3,000- $5,000. The painting is one of several preparatory sketches to the final canvas, Smelter Stacks, Copper Cliff, which is housed in the National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection.  The previous record for a Charles Comfort work of art was $20,700 (for Hope Island Light, Lake Huron, sold in 2005).

    Solid auction results were also achieved for:

    • Emily Carr, Logged Land, a 1930s oil on paper on canvas support, sold for a strong price of $377,600
    • A.Y. Jackson, Ruisseau Jureux, 1931 oil on canvas painting sold for $88,500
    • Marcelle Ferron, Sans titre, an important canvas selling for $49,560, by the artist who was a major figure in the Quebec contemporary arts scene
    • Jean McEwen, Les Fiançailles No. 5, large-scale 75” X 75” oil on canvas by Montreal abstract master (auction estimate of $25,000 – $35,000) tripled its estimate at $88,500
    • A striking and rare 22-karat miniature gold sculpture by Haida artist and sculptor Bill Reid, Chief of the Undersea World sold for a strong $129,800
    • Daphne Odjig’s Family Ties, a 36” X 34” acrylic on canvas painted in 1981, which made its auction debut sold for $37,760

    View full auction results by following this link.

    About Consignor Canadian Fine Art

    Since its inception in 2013, Consignor’s live and online auctions have included headline-grabbing works such as a rare 100-year-old Tom Thomson portrait (Daydreaming, sold for $172,500), an undiscovered William Kurelek (Ukrainian Proverb, sold for $41,400), and Jack Bush’s Summer Lake broke online auction records in May 2014 for the most expensive painting by a Canadian artist to be sold at an online auction ($310,500). Consignor’s inaugural live auction event in May 2016 set the record for the highest-selling Algoma sketch by Lawren Harris, fetching $977,500, tripling the previous auction record.

    Consignor Canadian Fine Art is currently accepting consignments for its upcoming auctions, including the June Online Auction of Canadian and International Artwork, with bidding open at consignor.ca from June 6-13, 2018.