By Douglas MacLean SOLD: $36,000
SOLD: $450,000 UNSOLD
James Edward Hervey (J.E.H.) MacDonald,
Gregory Richard Curnoe, Dessin Animé,
Jean-Paul Lemieux, L’émigré, oil on canvas,
Early Autumn, Montreal River, Algoma, oil on
mixed media on Harumi paper, 77" X 48".
19" X 25 1/2".
board, 8 1/2" X 10 3/8".
auctioneer’s hammer, well over an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000. And a 1920 painting by David Milne, Boston Corners Landscape, sold at $210,000. One of my favourite Lemieux works, L’émigré, failed to sell. It struggled to a realistic $150,000, well below the estimate of $180,000 to $220,000. This somber work, with its wonderfully painted background, is marked by strong strokes of subtle colour. Its buildings remind me of Moscow. Sales were puzzling overall, with frequent ups and downs. Was the mood of caution due to the economy, the art on offer or other factors? Sotheby’s conducted a good event and took some chances with more recent art. It later confirmed some passed works had since found buyers. The final spring sale was Joyner on King Street East. In general, the sale was set up well in new premises and the staff, as usual, managed to find works by less known but solid Canadian artists. An example was Frederick Loveroff, a Russian emigrant who earned a scholarship to the Ontario College of Art. His work was forgotten for many years, but Joyner’s has made headway with values. Winter Landscape, circa late 1920s, sold for $34,000. Other quality works included Mountain Sketch VII by Lawren Harris, sold at $280,000, and a fabulous vintage portfolio, Ten Canadian Prints, by W.J. Phillips. It’s rare to see an intact Phillips folio that has never been framed. A lucky buyer picked it up for $11,000. The prime lot was Lone Lake, a watercolour Franklin Carmichael painted in 1929. This stunning piece is large and rhythmic, with colours as fresh as the day he painted them. Its impeccable provenance includes a 2010 exhibition at the McMichael gallery in Kleinburg, Ont. It sold for $280,000, a record for the artist. The morning sale progressed well. Auctioneer Robert Cowley knocked down lot after lot, and was clear and accurate with his numbers. As with all major auction houses, a contemporary section was included. Works included William Kurelek’s After Church… (1976), which sold for $150,000, and Greg Curnoe’s www.gallerieswest.ca
Mariposa T.T. from his full-size bicycle serigraph, which set a record at $50,000. Doris McCarthy’s The Tip of the Icebergs, reached $38,000 and David Blackwood’s Ephraim Kelloway’s Red Door hit a record high of $55,000. My favourite contemporary work was Curnoe’s Dessin Animé (1987), a large work on paper. Framed as only Curnoe could, this colourful and wordy piece epitomizes his style. It sold for $36,000 — beyond my reach, which was disappointing. Another work that deserves mention is a small William Ronald oil painting, Reggie Jackson (1978). Loaded with thick paint, this energetic piece is brilliant. It exceeded its estimated price, fetching $14,000 at the hammer. Although the sale was over quickly, Joyner scattered good things throughout and did well. Overall, I have mixed views on the season. We need fresh faces at sales to take advantage of many wonderful opportunities. Collectors can still find under-priced quality art that appeals to them if they’re prepared to invest for the long term. Douglas MacLean of Canadian Art Gallery is an art advisor and private dealer living in Canmore, Alberta.
Find slideshows of more images from auctions at gallerieswest.ca/art-appreciation/auction-review
FALL AUCTIONS November 7, 2012 Maynards Art & Antiques, Vancouver www.maynardsfineart.com November 22, 2012 Heffel Fine Art, Toronto www.heffel.com November 26, 2012 Joyner’s Canadian Fine Art, Toronto www.joynerwaddingtons.ca November 27, 2012 Sotheby’s Canada, Toronto www.sothebys.com Galleries West Fall/Winter 2012 55