Tag: marc-aurele fortin

  • September Live Auction Achieves Strong Results for Canadian Historical, Post-War and Contemporary Artwork

    Rare & Exceptional Work Spanning More Than A Century of Canadian Art Draws Competition From In-Person, Telephone & Online Bidders

    The September 24th Cowley Abbott Fine Art Live Auction of Important Canadian and International Art held in the elegant Aria Ballroom of The Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville was a resounding success. Exceptional artworks by Canada’s pre-eminent historical, post-war and contemporary artists achieved strong results for consignors, while collectors were connected with artworks of rarity and quality. 

    Frederick Banting, Cobalt (1932)
    Price Realized: $44,840

    Cowley Abbott was pleased to be entrusted with three significant works 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. “Cobalt (1932)”, a striking canvas displaying Banting’s keen sense of colour, light and shadow sold for $44,840.  Two other paintings by the artist, including “Seville, Spain, 1933”, broke through its pre-sale estimate achieving $20,060, while “Birches, French River, 1930”, a quintessential work by the artist sold for $18,880. Brilliant results for this deserving historical Canadian icon. 

    Cornelius Krieghoff, Skinner’s Cave and Owl’s Head Mountain, Lake Memphremagog
    Price Realized: $47,200

    The September live auction witnessed solid prices for a wide range of historical Canadian works of art, including the work of: A.Y. Jackson (“St. Tites des Caps” fetching $21,240 and “Sugar Shanty, L’Islet” selling for $24,780); Marc-Aurèle Fortin (“La Seine à Paris” selling for $8,850); David Milne (“Fox Hill on a Rainy Day, Boston Corners”, a rare watercolour executed in 1920 fetched $82,600) and Robert Pilot (“Autumn Landscape” selling for $17,700). Among the strong selection of historical Canadian artworks included in the sale were works entrusted from the collection of Senator E. Leo Kolber, including a rare canvas by Cornelius Krieghoff, “Skinner’s Cave and Owl’s Head Mountain, Lake Memphremagog”. The rugged grandeur, tightly observed detail and sublime drama of this painting injects the work with a high romanticism that only Cornelius Kreighoff could accomplish. This fresh to auction painting garnered much attention from collectors during our bustling previews, fetching $47,200. “The Fruit Shop, Ottawa” by Kathleen Moir Morris, another important work from the collection of Senator Kolber, sold for $73,337.

    A key highlight in the auction were two exceptional watercolours by the celebrated Canadian artist, James Wilson Morrice. “Study for ‘The Pond, West Indies’” and “Study for ‘Village Street, West Indies’” are exemplary watercolours that showcase the artist’s technique and ability, acting as preparatory studies for the paintings in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Arts, which are among the best examples in the artist’s oeuvre. These special works made their debut at auction, finding new homes for over $22,000, respectively. 

    Norval Morrisseau, Untitled (Moose Pair)
    Price Realized: $35,400

    From the moment of publication of the auction online, interest and excitement surrounded three paintings by the renowned Indigenous artist, Norval Morrisseau. These fresh to auction works, all acquired directly from the artist, illustrate the artist’s powerful and unique style, drawn from Anishnaabe cultural traditions. Two striking paintings depicting Harriet Kakegamic, the artist’s wife, each sold for $25,960 after much spirited bidding, while the enigmatic and endearing “Untitled (Moose Pair)” soared to $35,400. 

    Doris McCarthy, Iceberg and Floes
    Price Realized: $47,200

    Cowley Abbott was delighted to offer numerous works by accomplished Canadian female artists, many of which garnered lively bidding during the September auction, notably, Molly Lamb Bobak’s energetic,“The Bike Race”. This work drew strong attention during the live auction preview season and it did not take long for competitive bidding to push the work well beyond the pre-sale expectation of $5,000-7,000, hammering down for $17,700. “Summer Landscape” by Nora Collyer followed suit, selling for $18,800; the electric canvas, “Abstraction”, by Rita Letendre fetched $25,960; the respected and loved Doris McCarthy had two works included in the sale – “Iceberg & Floes”, from her sought after Arctic series, which sold for $47,200, and an early work, “Two Boats at Barachois” selling for $9,440; while Maud Lewis achieved another remarkable result with “Three Black Cats” reaching $18,800. 

    Multiple key sculptures were featured in the September 24th catalogue auction, including two important bronzes by Sorel Etrog: “Petachon” sold for $8,260 and “Untitled” for $23,600. A dynamic steel sculpture by Walter Yarwood of Painter’s Eleven sold for $4,484. A beautifully carved 20th Century Chest, a popular object with collectors, soared to $14,160 after spirited bidding between the telephone and the room. 

    Guido Molinari, Tri-sériel rouge (1967)
    Price Realized: $82,600

    A variety of Post-War and Contemporary offerings captivated visitors attending the Cowley Abbott gallery during previews prior to the September evening sale. Guido Molinari’s “Tri-Sériel Rouge”, a late addition to the sale, garnered avid attention fetching $82,600 over the telephone; Jean McEwen’s enigmatic “Tableaux sans paroles #3” sold for $59,000; “Snow Play” by Ted Harrison, a favourite amongst collectors, climbed to $14,160; a painterly landscape by Gordon Smith sold for $23,600; Paterson Ewen’s “Untitled” fetched $14,160 and a quintessential work by Kazuo Nakamura sold for $28,320. 

    The Atlantic magic realists exceeded expectations with Tom Forrestall’s shaped canvas, “Orchard” selling for a final price of $9,440 and Christopher Pratt’s “1887 Orange 13 Cent Stamp” hammering down for $12,980 after competitive bidding. 

    We extend our thanks to the clients, bidders and buyers who helped to ensure that our September 24th Live auction was a triumph. We are already preparing a very exciting catalogue for the December Live Auction and look forward to sharing it with you. The fall auction season continues with The Canadian Landscape Online Auction running from October 20th-27th, followed by the November Auction of Canadian and International Art from November 10th-24th, taking place concurrently with the December Live Auction. 

    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. 

  • Records Broken During Electric Fall Auction Season at Cowley Abbott

    Molly Lamb Bobak, Highland Games, Fredericton
    Price Realized: $100,300 (Auction Record)

    Through the November and December live and online auctions, Cowley Abbott achieved strong results for consignors, with multiple records broken, while connecting collectors at all levels with artwork of quality and rarity.

    The Cowley Abbott Fall Live Auction of Important Canadian Art drew a standing-room only audience to the Gardiner Museum on Tuesday, November 19th, the gallery packed with collectors who drove bidding to record levels in several instances through successful sales of select work by Canada’s celebrated historical, post-war and contemporary artists.

    Jean Paul Lemieux, Basse messe, dimanche
    Price Realized: $330,400

    Jean Paul Lemieux’s Basse messe, dimanche, an expansive and immersive museum-level canvas by the key figure of Canadian modernity, captivated visitors to the Cowley Abbott gallery during the weeks of previewing that led to November evening sale. When bidding concluded, the artwork had fetched $330,400, a solid result for the mature work which was featured on the front cover of the fall auction catalogue.

    From the moment of publication of the auction online, excitement surrounded Molly Lamb Bobak’s Highland Games, Fredericton, a large and energetic canvas, portraying a celebratory and energetic scene, a subject which has proven to be Bobak’s most popular with collectors. When the artwork reached the podium, it did not take long for feverish bidding to push competition well beyond pre-sale expectation. When the gavel finally fell, a new auction record had been established for the painter, the final bid reaching $100,300 (all prices include the 18% Buyer’s Premium), more than tripling the pre-sale estimate.

    William Kurelek, Pioneer Homestead on a Winter’s Evening
    Price Realized: $82,600

    The work of William Kurelek also drew strong attention during the fall live auction season. Two paintings appeared at auction with Cowley Abbott for the first time, consigned by the original Toronto collector, who owned them for almost fifty years. The quality and rarity of the pair of paintings led to Pioneer Homestead on a Winter’s Evening fetching $82,600 (exceeding the high-end of expectation) and Brothers selling for $95,000. The strong results continue Cowley Abbott’s tradition of success in the sale of important work by the Ukrainian-Canadian artist.

    The November live auction witnessed solid prices for a wide range of historical Canadian works of art, including the work of: Cornelius Krieghoff (Hudson Bay Trader fetching $47,200); André Biéler (The Market Stall almost doubling the high-end auction estimate to sell for $29,500); Frederick Banting (Inlet, French River selling for $28,320); Clarence Gagnon (La Mare, Baie St. Paul, a 1920 sketch related to a canvas in the National Gallery of Canada, sold for $23,600); and P.C. Sheppard (St. Lawrence Market fetching $23,600), among many others.

    Jean McEwen, Rose traversant les jaunes
    Price Realized: $88,500

    A variety of Post-War and Contemporary offerings also drew competitive bidding during the fall catalogue sale, notably: Jean McEwen’s Rose traversant les jaunes (the canvas fetching $88,500, more than four times the opening bid); Gordon Smith’s West Coast #2 (exceeding the high-end of expectation, selling for $40,120); Autumn Foothills by Takao Tanabe (selling for $37,760); Sorel Etrog’s Small Chair (Hand) (fetching $28,320), Marcel Barbeau’s 1947 Dents de sable à cran d’acier(in excess of the auction estimate’s upper range, selling for $23,600); and Ronald York Wilson’s Untitled (the large canvas almost doubling the auction estimate, achieving $22,420).

    The success of the November live auction continued in the subsequent November and December online sessions, where bidders across Canada and beyond competing for a wide range of work that catered not only to seasoned collectors, but also to new and intermediate clients, continuing to establish their collections.

    Franklin Arbuckle, True Lover’s Leap, Newfoundland
    Price Realized: $30,680 (Auction Record)

    Franklin Arbuckle’s True Lover’s Leap, Newfoundland inspired great excitement nation-wide when the canvas was added to the Cowley Abbott website. The rare and dramatic east coast landscape by the celebrated painter had remained in the same private collection since 1964, Alfred Upton delighted to receive the painting as a retirement gift from Dominion Life Assurance. Upton loved the painting and requested the painting when given the option to choose a token of appreciation when his time with the firm finished. The painting had been purchased by Dominion Life in 1949 to be featured in their yearly calendar that annually featured the work of a different Canadian artist. The work was chosen, in consultation with A.J. Casson, for its quality and also to commemorate Newfoundland joining confederation. True Lover’s Leap, Newfoundland had been exhibited in the 1949 Royal Canadian Academy showing at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and was not only reproduced in the exhibition’s catalogue, but was also noted in a Gazette article which discussed the annual show. The debut of the canvas at Cowley Abbott once again had the painting drawing media attention, with a two Newfoundland Telegram articles (found here and here) that followed its record-breaking performance during the auction. The artwork sold for $30,680, more than five times its opening bid and more than double the previous auction record for Franklin Arbuckle’s work.

    Rita Letendre, Antares Glows
    Price Realized: $28,320

    Rita Letendre’s Antares Glows also excited collectors during the online sessions to end the year, the dramatic 1969 canvas selling for $28,320 (exceeding the high end of expectation). Online bidding was furious through the two auctions, leading to stellar prices for artist across the many periods, schools and associations through Canadian history, with results of note including the work of: F.M. Bell-Smith, Frank Armington, A.J. Casson; Frederick Loveroff; Mary Wrinch; Manly MacDonald; Stanley Turner; M.A. Fortin; Malcolm Rains; Jean Paul Riopelle; Art McKay; David Urban; Ron Bloore; Doug Morton; Ken Lochhead; Ted Harrison; Chris Pratt; Maud Lewis; Allen Sapp; and Joe Fafard.

    We extend our thanks to the clients, bidders and buyers who helped to ensure that 2019 was another very successful year for Cowley Abbott. We are already preparing a very exciting schedule of sales for 2020 and look forward to sharing it with you.

  • Kurelek Artwork Commissioned for $250 Fetches $82,600 During Fall Live Auction

    William Kurelek, Threshing Outfit Being Brought Lunch (1972)
    William Kurelek, Threshing Outfit Being Brought Lunch (1972)

    November Auction of Important Canadian Art Includes Record-Breaking Sales of Work by Bertram Brooker, Ken Lochhead and Robert Gray Murray

    Toronto, ON (November 20, 2018) – A never before seen painting by renowned Ukrainian-Canadian artist William Kurelek, Threshing Outfit Being Brought Lunch (1972), sold for $82,600 (including buyer’s premium), tens of thousands of dollars of above its original purchase price of $250. The painting made its auction debut this evening at Consignor Canadian Fine Art’s live auction event at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, ON.

    The painting was purchased directly from the artist in 1972, and remained within the owner’s family until its offering on Tuesday evening. Kurelek met the original owner, a Ukrainian-Canadian student who had just moved to Toronto, at an exhibition of his work at Isaacs Gallery. She indicated to the painter that she couldn’t afford to purchase any of the pieces on exhibit, so Kurelek offered to create a painting that she could afford. At her request, Kurelek painted a panoramic farm scene as a reminder of her family’s farm on the prairies; a connection that he shared with the owner, having a similar upbringing in rural Manitoba.

    The auction highlights also included record-breaking sales of works by Ken Lochhead, Bertram Richard Brooker and Robert Gray Murray.  Lochhead’s Colour Rotation (1964), a rare and monumental canvas by the celebrated modernist painter, sold for $54,280, doubling the previous auction record for the artist. Bertram Brooker’s, Delta Ice House, sold for $82,600, three times above its auction estimate ($25,000 – $35,000) and nearly doubling the artist’s previous auction record. Robert Gray Murray’s Burwash, a striking painted aluminum sculpture, fetched $28,320, more than doubling the previous auction record for the artist’s work.

    Solid auction results were also achieved for:

    • A.Y. Jackson, St. Irenée, Quebec, a classic and compelling Quebec winter village scene by the Group of Seven painter, sold for $94,000, more than double its opening bid
    • A.J. Casson, Storm in the Cloche Hills, an exemplary 1951 dramatic landscape which was featured on the cover of the fall auction catalogue, sold for $118,000, almost doubling its opening bid
    • Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Ste. Rose Paysage, the 1939 vivid Quebec landscape selling for $70,800
    • William Perehudoff, AC-85-81, fetching $33,040, exceeding pre-sale expectation
    • Bill Reid, Haida Medallion Brooch, fetching $29,500
    • Jean Paul Riopelle, Sans titre, the 1965 work on paper by the Quebec abstract master fetching $23,600, exceeding the high-end of pre-sale expectation
    • Maud Lewis, Red Sleigh on a Country Road, the early work by the Nova Scotia folk artist selling for $20,060, exceeding the high-end of expectation (one of three works by Lewis to perform strongly during the evening)

    View full auction results by following this link.