BUILDING THE FINEST ART COLLECTIONS
IN CANADA SINCE 1972
EXHIBITION & SALE OF HISTORICAL WORKS OF SIGNIFICANCE
SPRING HISTORICAL COLLECTION
BUIL D ING THE FINEST ART COLLECTIONS IN CANADA SINCE 1972
Building an art collection is a journey that enriches your life and enhances your investment. For over five decades, Loch Gallery has been assisting in this journey; sourcing, assessing, and considering artwork before presenting it to a client to deliberate an acquisition. The relationship between the artist, the gallery and the collector is an incredibly significant bond based in sincerity, understanding, and successful collecting.
Whether you are seeking your first piece or are a seasoned collector, our expertise and dedication will help you discover artwork that elevates your collection, enhances your life, and ensures every acquisition contributes to a lasting legacy for future generations.
Family-owned and operated since 1972, Loch Gallery has always been dedicated to presenting the highest quality of Canadian art. With three locations across Canada, we represent significant historical Canadian and European artwork, as well as established contemporary artists.
BUILDING THE FINEST ART COLLECTIONS IN CANADA
TORONTO WINNIPEG CALGARY
Cover: Clarence Alphonse Gagnon (1881 - 1942) The Clearing in the Woods (detail), between 1908 and 1913, oil on canvas, 21.75” x 29.25”
Back Cover: Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923 - 2002), Sous Bois II (detail), 1958, oil on canvas, 45” x 57.5”
Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923 - 2002)
Sous Bois II, 1958 oil on canvas, 45” x 57.5”
Jean Paul Riopelle is widely regarded as one of Canada’s most significant artists of the twentieth century. Born in Montreal in 1923, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École du Meuble, where he was taught by Paul-Émile Borduas. Borduas encouraged his students to abandon preconceived notions and embrace a new, intuitive approach to painting. This mentorship proved transformative for Riopelle, who soon joined the Automatistes and became a signatory of their groundbreaking 1948 manifesto, Refus global
The 1950s marked the most pivotal decade in Riopelle’s career, during which he reached full artistic maturity. It is during this time that Riopelle experiments with his groundbreaking and distinctive “mosaic” painting style, characterized by the thick, sculptural application of paint using palette knives. This technique created richly textured surfaces and vibrant, dynamic compositions. He often applied paint directly from the tube, producing a near three-dimensional effect. Bold, contrasting hues imbued his work with energy and movement, reflecting his deep commitment to exploring the physical and emotional poten-
tial of paint as a medium. Within critical circles and on the international stage, he was celebrated as an extraordinary talent. By 1958—the year Sous Bois II was created—Riopelle had achieved a level of recognition that few artists reach by the age of 35. Prominent Parisian art dealers, including Pierre Loeb and later Jacques Dubourg, sought to represent him, and he had received worldwide recognition having been included in numerous showings in New York and Paris, and received an honourable mention for the Guggenheim International Award. He participated in the Venice Biennale, São Paulo Biennial and Pittsburgh International (now Carnegie International).
In Sous Bois II, this mature, abstract expressionist style is displayed in intense materiality and gestural spontaneity. The title, which translates to Underwood or Forest Undergrowth, gives a subtle hint to the natural inspiration behind the painting, but the visual field resists traditional representation of landscape. Instead, Riopelle offers a fragmented, immersive experience that evokes the sensation of being absorbed into nature rather than observing it.
Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923 - 2002)
Écume, 1957
oil on canvas, 25” x 32”
Translated to Foam or Sea Foam, Écume is a richly layered, dynamic abstract painting that captures the intense physicality and emotive energy characteristic of Riopelle’s mature style. Écume exemplifies Riopelle’s commitment to abstraction as a means of evoking nature without directly representing it.
There is no central focal point; instead, the entire surface is activated by rhythmic marks. This “all-over” compositional strategy encourages the eye to travel freely across the work, mimicking the fluid, unpredictable motion of water. You are meant to drift and churn with the paint—to feel the weight of the sea without ever seeing it. The sensation of wind, water, and
weather is conveyed purely through abstract means. The physical labour evident in Riopelle’s process— scraping, dragging, layering—mirrors the forces of nature he seeks to evoke. The repetition of short, chiselled strokes creates a mosaic-like effect, but with none of the static or decorative quality—every trace of paint is dynamic and alive with energy.
Ultimately, Écume is a translation of the sea’s essence into form, colour, and texture. It stands as a powerful portrayal of Riopelle’s ability to channel rhythms of the natural world into a deeply expressive and nonrepresentational visual language.
Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923 - 2002)
Untitled, 1952
gouache and ink on paper, 9” x 12”
Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923 - 2002)
Untitled, 1952 gouache and ink on paper, 11.5” x 14.5”
Clarence Alphonse Gagnon (1881 - 1942)
The Clearing in the Woods, between 1908 and 1913 oil on canvas, 21.75” x 29.25”
Clarence Gagnon was a renowned Canadian painter and illustrator, best known for his vibrant landscapes that captured the essence of rural Quebec. Born in Montreal, Gagnon showed an early interest in art, leading him to study under William Brymner at the Art Association of Montreal. His talents earned him a scholarship to study at the Académie Julian in Paris, where he was influenced by French Impressionism. Despite his time in Europe, Gagnon’s heart remained with the Canadian landscape, particularly the Laurentians and the Charlevoix region, which would become the central subjects of his work. His return to Canada from France in 1908 marked a pivotal moment in his artistic journey. Reconnecting with the Canadian landscape, reflecting Gagnon’s deep desire to express Canadian identity through his art and to establish a distinctly national artistic voice.
Throughout his life, Clarence Gagnon contributed significantly to the development of Canadian art, both as a practitioner and as a cultural ambassador. His efforts helped elevate the international profile of Canadian artists during the early 20th century. Gagnon passed away in 1942, but his legacy endures through the lasting impact of his art and his role in shaping
the visual identity of French Canada. His works continue to be celebrated in major Canadian art institutions and remain beloved for their lyrical portrayal of the country’s natural beauty.
This work comes from a distinguished private collection and carries significant historical weight, having appeared on the cover of Clarence Gagnon, 1881–1942: Dreaming the Landscape—the definitive publication on his work.
Created between 1908 and 1913, The Clearing in the Woods is a brilliant example of Gagnon’s early mastery. During this pivotal period, he skillfully blended European Impressionist influences with his deep connection to the Canadian landscape, capturing the luminous serenity of Quebec’s winters like no one else.
This painting was featured in Gagnon’s first major international exhibition at Galerie A.M. Reitlinger in Paris in 1913—Paysages d’hiver dans les montagnes des Laurentides au Canada—a milestone that marked the culmination of five years of work and two key stays in Baie-Saint-Paul. It was a groundbreaking moment, showcasing 75 paintings and studies—an unprecedented achievement for a Quebec artist at the time.
Thomas John (Tom) Thomson (1877 - 1917)
Ragged Oaks, 1916 oil on panel, 8.5” x 10.5”
Trailblazing Canadian artist Tom Thomson helped define a national artistic identity with his vivid landscapes. Though not a member, his work and spirit profoundly influenced the Group of Seven, a collective that aimed to express the spiritual and emotional resonance of the Canadian wilderness through modernist techniques. Like several members of the group, Thomson began his career as a commercial and graphic artist at Grip Ltd. in Toronto, where he honed design skills that would later inform his painterly approach.
It was Thomson’s frequent sketching trips into Algonquin Park that catalyzed the transformation of his style, marked by bold brushstrokes, a rich, almost Fauvist palette, and a deep sensitivity to light and atmosphere. Where some saw small panels as a means of documenting the scene to then be translated to canvas, Thomson saw the potential of both small panels and large canvases to carry the same drama and excitement. One of these compelling panels, Ragged Oaks, painted just a year before his mysterious death, exemplifies this transformation. The panel reveals
Thomson’s expressive brushwork and evocative use of colour, capturing the rugged beauty of nature in its raw, untamed form.
Rather than offering a strictly realistic portrayal, Thomson emphasizes mood and movement through dynamic composition and textured application. The brushstrokes are spontaneous yet intentional—he builds solidity into the forest floor and renders the tree trunks with carefree precision. Meanwhile, the soft foliage and brooding purple sky press forward into the composition, enhancing the painting’s emotional intensity.
In Ragged Oaks, the twisted trees and turbulent atmosphere evoke a sense of isolation and resilience, showcasing Thomson’s ability to enliven the landscape with psychological depth, approaching almost total abstraction. With its raw energy and haunting beauty, Ragged Oaks remains a powerful testament to Thomson’s deep connection to the land and his lasting impact on generations of Canadian artists.
Lawren Stewart Harris (1885 - 1970)
House in the Ward, Winter City Painting No.1, c. 1924 oil on canvas, 32” x 38.38”
Lawren Harris was a founding member of the Group of Seven, a driving force behind their early success, and a man who understood the power of a picture. Best known for his bold, spiritual interpretations of the northern landscape, his ability to visually and spiritually infuse his subjects through his medium, his compositions and his skill as a draughtsman, is what made his talent highly personal and uniquely recognizable.
Born in 1885 in Brantford, Ontario, Harris played a crucial role in developing a distinct Canadian art style that celebrated the vast, untamed wilderness of the country. His work is characterized by simplified forms, strong lines, and a luminous, almost mystical use of light. Harris believed that art could express spiritual truth, and his paintings reflect a deep reverence for nature as a source of transcendence and national identity.
House in the Ward, Winter City Painting No. 1 marks a turning point in Harris’s career, bridging his earlier interest in urban realism with his spiritual, idealized landscapes. Harris considered the urban subject his most important theme. His paintings of this period began with a range of cheerful works, painted with broken and vibrant colour. As he progressed, the houses he captured in his paintings became more than just
buildings—they became portraits and emblems of the banality and predictability of everyday life. In the first Group of Seven exhibition, held in the spring of 1920, five of Harris’ eleven canvases were urban scenes.
HouseintheWard,WinterCityPaintingNo.1 captures a quiet yet evocative winter scene in Toronto’s historic Ward district. Cool blues, greens, yellows, and whites contrast the bright red houses. Architectural elements, rendered with sharp, geometric lines, contrast the softness of snow accumulating on rooftops and sidewalks. They create a rhythmic structure within the composition, guiding the viewer’s eye across the canvas. Harris’s brushwork is controlled and smooth, reflecting the influence of modernist abstraction and his desire to strip away excess in order to reach a kind of spiritual clarity.
Through architectural precision and atmospheric restraint, Harris elevates the simplicity of houses and a lone, brave traveller into a contemplative, almost iconic image. The peaceful dignity of the homes and the carefully balanced composition reflect Harris’s belief in the transcendent power of art. Through this painting, he invites viewers to look beyond surface appearances—to see beauty and meaning in the overlooked corners of the city.
Cornelius David Krieghoff (1815 -
A Trip to Town, 1865 oil on canvas, 14.5” x 22”
Cornelius Krieghoff was born in Amsterdam and later moved to the United States, eventually settling in Canada in the 1840s. Krieghoff became renowned for his genre scenes portraying everyday life, especially among French-Canadian habitants and Indigenous peoples, often set against dramatic Canadian landscapes. Today, Krieghoff is celebrated as one of Canada’s most iconic early painters.
A vivid and charming portrayal of 19th-century rural Canadian life, A Trip to Town portrays a family preparing a horse-drawn sleigh for a journey. The composition is dynamic and inviting, offering an abundance of information that draws the eye through the composition.
1872)
Delightful details emerge that build a theatrical narrative, framed by the frozen beauty of a Quebec winter. Krieghoff blends realism with warmth, humour, and drama while offering a valuable visual record of Canadian culture during that period.
Krieghoff’s attention to detail—the horses’ breath in the frosty air, the snow-laden trees and fences, and the trampled path add character. The bright tones of the passengers’ clothing contrast against the muted whites and grays of the landscape, connecting the viewer with the human element and evoking a sense of community and resilience. While the subject matter is ordinary, Krieghoff elevates it with a keen observational eye and a painterly style.
David Brown Milne (1882 - 1953)
City Rain, 1911 oil on canvas, 18.5” x 15.75”
A pioneering Canadian modernist painter, David Milne was known for his introspective, innovative approach to landscape, still lifes and urban scenes. Born in Ontario, Milne studied art in New York and was influenced by movements such as Post-Impressionism and American Modernism. He developed a distinct personal style that emphasized simplicity, clarity, and a deep sensitivity to light and space. Milne often chose to paint in rural or quiet urban settings, allowing him to explore the psychological and spiritual dimensions of everyday life. His later work is characterized by a restrained palette, careful compositions, and an emphasized use of negative space. An impor-
tant early example of Milne’s time in New York, City Rain, characterizes a period of artistic exploration. His decision to leave small parts of the canvas bare emphasizes form and light, while the delicate, misty palette conveys a sense of openness, stillness, and introspection, as if the rain has temporarily hushed the world. In City Rain, Milne uses abstraction to convey atmosphere and simplifies forms to create elegant outlines. The result is a stunning example of his mastery of minimalism and mood, transforming a rainy day into a lyrical meditation on perception and inner stillness.
David Brown Milne (1882 - 1953)
Painting Place, 1931
etching on paper, 5” x 6.75”
David Brown Milne (1882 - 1953)
White Linen, c. 1912
watercolour on illustration board, 16.87” x 13”
Paul Peel was a Canadian painter recognized for his gentle, refined depictions of domestic life, particularly children. Born in London, Ontario, he received early training from his father and later studied in major art centers, including the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His education combined rigorous academic instruction with the growing influence of plein-air painting, which encouraged a softer, more naturalistic style. Peel became known internationally for his technical skill and warm, sentimental subjects, earning a medal at the 1890 Paris Salon. Although his career was cut short by his early death at age 31, he left a lasting impact on Canadian art, bridging academic realism and modern sensibilities.
Paul Peel (1860 - 1892)
The Young Biologist, 1891 oil on canvas, 18.25” x 15”
The Young Biologist is a tender, light-filled painting that captures a young boy’s moment of discovery in nature. He stands observing a frog that appears to have just leapt in front of him. With hands behind his back and a collecting jar in hand, the boy’s posture reflects curiosity without intrusion. Peel’s attention to light, texture, and facial expression conveys a sense of innocence and quiet wonder, making the painting a poetic reflection of childhood exploration and the beauty of nature’s small moments.
James Edward Hervey (J.E.H.) MacDonald (1873 - 1932)
On Mongoose Creek, Algoma, 1919 oil on board, 8.38” x 10.5”
J.E.H. MacDonald was a founding member of the Group of Seven and one of Canada’s most influential landscape painters. Born in Durham, England, he immigrated to Canada as a child, trained at the Hamilton Art School, and later worked at Grip Ltd. in Toronto. His love for the Canadian wilderness developed into a lifelong artistic focus, particularly after he began painting with the painters who would eventually form the Group of Seven.
MacDonald was known for his expressive brushwork, rich colour palettes, and a deep sense of spiritual connection to nature. He believed that the northern landscape held a unique energy that could inspire a distinctly Canadian form of art. He was also a poet and teacher, and his influence extended far beyond his own work, helping to shape a national identity through art.
On Mongoose Creek, Algoma showcases MacDonald’s mastery in capturing the rugged beauty and emotional power of the Canadian Shield. Painted in the Algoma region of Northern Ontario
in 1919, the picture features a flowing creek surrounded by bold rock formations, tall trees, and vibrant autumn foliage. MacDonald’s brushwork is energetic and textured, using thick, expressive strokes to give the scene both movement and weight. The rocks are rendered in strong, angular forms, while the trees bend slightly, suggesting the ever-present wind and weather of the north.
The colour palette is rich and earthy, dominated by reds, oranges, deep greens, and slate grays. The dynamic use of light and shadow brings the scene to life, with sunlight filtering through the forest canopy and glinting off the water’s surface, emphasizing the contrast between stillness and motion in nature. Rather than presenting a photographic likeness, MacDonald captures the essence of the place—the strength of the land, the clarity of the air, and the untamed spirit of the wilderness. In On Mongoose Creek, Algoma, we see not just a landscape, but MacDonald’s deep reverence for the Canadian environment and his belief in its power to define a national artistic voice.
Franklin Carmichael (1890 - 1945)
Clouds, La Cloche Hills, 1939 oil on panel, 10” x 12”
Franklin Carmichael was a member of the Group of Seven and a key figure in shaping Canadian landscape painting in the early 20th century. Born in Orillia, Ontario, he studied art in Toronto and later in Belgium, bringing together European training with a deep love for the northern Ontario wilderness. Carmichael was especially drawn to the La Cloche Mountains and Georgian Bay region, where he found inspiration in the rolling hills, bright skies, and ever-changing weather. His work is known for its lyrical quality, combining bold colour, clean lines, and a spiritual sense of nature’s rhythms.
Clouds La Cloche Hills captures the grandeur and serenity of northern Ontario through dynamic composition and rich, harmonious colour. The scene presents a sweeping view of rolling hills under a vast sky filled with sculptural, billowing clouds. The La Cloche range, rendered in layers of blue, violet, and green, creates a rhythmic pattern that leads the viewer’s eye into the distance.
These hills are softened but solid, giving the landscape a sense of permanence and calm. In contrast, the clouds are bold and full of movement, swirling with light and shadow in shades of white, gray, and pale blue.
Carmichael uses his medium with careful modulation, blending tones smoothly to create depth and atmosphere. The interplay between earth and sky—solid and fluid—becomes the emotional heart of the work. The contrast emphasizes both the stability of the land and the ever-changing mood of the heavens, inviting reflection on nature’s cycles. Like much of Carmichael’s work, Clouds, La Cloche Hills balances structure with emotion. It captures not just what the landscape looks like, but how it feels—vast, quiet, and filled with a calm, natural power. This painting is a tribute to a uniquely Canadian environment and to Carmichael’s ability to express spiritual truth through the land and sky.
Alexander Young (A.Y.) Jackson (1882 - 1974)
Winter Afternoon, c. 1928 oil on panel, 8.5” x 10.5”
A.Y. Jackson was a member of the Group of Seven and one of the most influential figures in Canadian art. Born in Montreal, Jackson trained in both Chicago and Paris, where he was exposed to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism—movements that deeply influenced his use of colour and brushwork. After returning to Canada, he joined with fellow artists to develop a bold new vision of Canadian landscape painting, one that celebrated the raw beauty of the northern wilderness.
Winter Afternoon is a quintessential example of Jackson’s ability to portray the quiet strength and subtle beauty of the Canadian landscape. The painting presents a snow-covered rural scene under the cool light of a fading winter sun. Jackson uses a limited but evocative colour palette, with cool blues and soft purples in the snow and warm ochres and browns in the distant trees. This restrained use of colour creates a delicate balance between the cold still-
ness of winter and the warmth of afternoon light. Lively and textured brushstrokes give the snow a sense of weight and form, while areas of intentionally exposed panel evoke bare earth beneath the snow.
The sweeping foreground of snow leads the viewer’s eye toward rolling hills and distant trees, then to snow-capped mountains and a halo of sun. A horse-drawn carriage crosses through the scene, and in the distance, another bright red smudge suggests a second carriage.
The mood is peaceful and reflective, evoking the hush that often falls over the land in late-day winter. There is no storm or dramatic vista—just the steady presence of the Canadian countryside, rendered with care, rhythm, and reverence. The painting captures both a literal landscape and the emotional atmosphere of wintertime in rural Canada, a testament to Jackson’s skill in transforming simple scenes into national icons.
Alexander Young Jackson (1882 - 1974)
St. Fidèle, Quebec oil on panel, 8.5” x 10.5”
A.Y. Jackson’s St. Fidèle, Quebec is a dynamic and expressive portrayal of rural life in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, a place Jackson visited frequently and painted with affection. The painting captures a snow-covered village nestled in a rolling landscape. Jackson’s characteristic bold brushwork and rhythmic lines animate the entire composition, infusing the quiet scene with a sense of movement and vitality that reflects his deep connection to the Canadian countryside. The buildings are rendered in geometric, blocky shapes that suggest both solidity and simplicity. These structures blend harmoniously into the sweeping curves of the snow-laden terrain, which undulates across the canvas in lively, looping forms.
The snow is filled with colour—blues, purples, and greys that hint at shadow and light. The sky above is overcast yet painted with soft gradations that contribute to the painting’s contemplative atmosphere.
Jackson’s use of colour and line creates a cohesive, almost musical rhythm throughout the scene, evoking the pulse of life in the remote village during winter. St. Fidèle, Quebec, is not just a depiction of place— it is a celebration of endurance, community, and the beauty of Canada’s rural heritage. Through stylized forms and expressive technique, Jackson transforms a quiet landscape into a deeply felt tribute to Quebec.
Maurice Galbraith Cullen (1866 - 1934)
Winter, Beaupré, 1896 oil on canvas, 20” x 24”
Maurice Cullen, one of Canadia’s most influential Impressionist painters played a key role in bringing the techniques and sensibilities of French Impressionism to Canada. Born in Newfoundland and raised in Quebec, Cullen studied in Paris at the École des BeauxArts and was deeply influenced by the work of Monet and the French landscape tradition. Upon returning to Canada, he applied Impressionist techniques to the Canadian landscape, particularly in winter scenes of Quebec. Cullen’s work is known for its atmospheric light, broken brushwork, and commitment to portraying the unique qualities of Canada’s climate and geography. He helped lay the groundwork for a distinct national art movement rooted in both European innovation and local experience.
After seven years of study in France, he returned home in 1895, bringing with him a masterful command of light, colour, and atmosphere that set the stage for a new era in Canadian art.
Winter, Beaupré was painted during this pivotal moment in his career when he immersed himself in the
tranquil beauty of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. This work embodies the serene stillness of rural Quebec in winter, a theme that resonated deeply with Cullen. The scene depicts a rural Quebec landscape blanketed in snow, with a cluster of low buildings nestled into the land and distant hills receding into a pale winter sky. Cullen’s muted palette—dominated by cool whites, greys, and subtle blues—is punctuated by warmer earth tones in the buildings and trees, which anchor the composition and provide contrast. The brushstrokes are loose and gestural, especially in the snow, where subtle variations in tone suggest shadow, texture, and the play of light on a frozen surface. His ability to capture the crisp, luminous quality of snow and the warmth of structures nestled under the pink sky makes this piece particularly compelling. The horse and sleigh in the distance and the man with his dog add to the charm and narrative of this idyllic scene. In Winter, Beaupré, Cullen transforms a simple rural view into something evocative and enduring. Through light and paint, he conveys the lived experience of a Canadian winter, offering a deeply local vision with universal resonance.
Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté (1869
- 1937)
Paysage au lac-à l’eau-claire, 1907 oil on canvas, 19” x 25”
Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté was a pioneering French-Canadian painter and sculptor whose work helped shape a distinct visual identity for Quebec. Trained in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts, he combined classical technique with Impressionist influence, producing art that celebrated rural Quebec with lyrical energy and emotional resonance. His landscapes and figure studies are marked by expressive brushwork, luminous colour, and a deep reverence for his homeland.
In Paysage au lac-à-l’Eau-Claire, Suzor-Coté offers a luminous tribute to the Quebec wilderness. The painting captures a tranquil lakeside scene, where soft blues, greens, and golden tones evoke the calm of late afternoon. The artist’s fluid, impressionistic brushwork allows light and movement to ripple across the
surface, especially in the delicate reflections on the water and the softly rendered trees along the shoreline. Rather than focusing on exact detail, Suzor-Coté conveys the atmosphere of the moment—the shifting sky, the rhythm of nature, and the quiet stillness of the landscape.
More than a faithful representation, Paysage au lac-àl’Eau-Claire is a poetic meditation on place. It reflects Suzor-Coté’s deep affection for the land and his desire to elevate everyday scenes into something enduring and transcendent. Through light, texture, and mood, the painting embodies the artist’s central legacy of capturing the spirit of Quebec with both intimacy and grandeur.
John Goodwin Lyman (1886 - 1967)
Plage Laurentides, c. 1939 oil on panel, 13” x 18”
John Lyman was an American-born Canadian painter, writer, and art critic who played a pivotal role in modernizing Canadian art. Born in Maine in 1886, his family emigrated to Canada. He attended high school in Montreal, then studied at McGill University. He also studied in Europe, where he was deeply influenced by the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. A cosmopolitan artist who lived and travelled extensively, he received instruction from Henri Matisse and was a friend of Canadian Impressionist James Wilson Morrice. His early work reflected the principles of Fauvism and Post-Impressionism, emphasizing expressive colour, fluid line, and the reduction of form. This modernist approach sharply contrasted the more conservative and nationalistic art movements dominant in Canada during the early 20th century.
Much of his early career was spent abroad, and upon his return to Montreal in 1931, he had a fresh perspective on the Quebec landscape. The tradition of beach scenes in art dates back to Eugène Boudin and the atmospheric depictions of leisure by French Impressionists such as Claude Monet. Lyman was particularly drawn to the expressive power of beaches filled with bathers, a recurring theme in his work and characteristic of modern sensibility. His paintings
are marked by balance, elegance, and a restrained emotional tone. In Plage Laurentides, he captures the warmth of the light stretching across the sandy shores of Lake Ouimet where vacationers revel in the pleasures of the beach and swimming. The composition is balanced and spacious, using clean lines to guide the eye and give each element room to breathe. The figures are stylized but natural, rendered with a rhythmic grace that reveals Lyman’s study under Henri Matisse. They lounge along the shoreline, relaxed and absorbed in their surroundings, their bodies outlined with soft curves that echo the gentle slopes of the hills and waves.
In 1939, Lyman founded the Contemporary Arts Society, a group dedicated to promoting modernism in Canadian art. His influence extended beyond painting— through his writing and teaching, he helped shape a new generation of Canadian artists. Today, his works are celebrated for their vibrant colour, expressive composition, and lasting contribution to the evolution of Canadian modern art.
A Swiss-born Canadian landscape painter, René Richard was celebrated for his expressive depictions of Canada’s northern wilderness. Born in La Chaux-deFonds, Switzerland, Richard emigrated with his family to Cold Lake, Alberta, in 1909. There, he developed a deep connection to the land and Indigenous cultures, experiences that would profoundly shape his artistic vision.
Before pursuing art professionally, Richard worked as a trapper and guide in the Canadian north, spending years travelling by canoe and snowshoe through remote areas of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec. These early travels allowed him to intimately observe the vast and rugged terrain, which became the core subject matter of his later paintings and drawings.
In the 1920s, Richard studied art briefly in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where he was influenced by modernist trends. Upon returning to Canada, he continued to explore the wilderness, documenting it in sketchbooks and paintings.
René Richard (1895 - 1982)
Arret en Foret de Deux Trappeurs, 1955 oil on panel, 41.25” x 48”
ArretenForetdeDeuxTrappeurs depicts two trappers paused in a dense forest landscape, surrounded by snow-laden trees and underbrush. The composition is loosely structured yet carefully balanced. The two figures, though small in scale, are central and immediately draw the viewer’s eye. Their placement amid the thick forest conveys both their physical presence in the land and their vulnerability within it. A comtemplative mood focusing on companionship and a moment of human presence in nature resonates with Richard’s desire to authentically portray the rhythms of life in Canada’s remote regions.
Richard eventually settled in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, where he became a central figure in the local art community and a mentor to younger artists. His work gained national recognition in the mid-20th century and he was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1952. In 1973, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his unique contribution to Canadian art. His legacy endures as one of the foremost interpreters of the Canadian wilderness, blending the spirit of exploration with a personal and deeply felt artistic language.
Peleg Franklin Brownell (1857 - 1946)
Street Scene, West Indies, 1915 oil on canvas, 15” x 18”
Peleg Franklin Brownell was a French-trained American artist and teacher. His work is often characterized by a refined academic style and a subtle, atmospheric palette. He succeeded Lucius O’Brien as principal of the Ottawa School of Art and was also an influential teacher at the Women’s Art Association of Ottawa. In addition to painting throughout Ontario and Quebec, Brownell also produced a body of work inspired by his travels to the Caribbean, particularly to the West Indies in the early 20th century. These paintings reveal a different side of Brownell’s artistic practice—one shaped by vivid light, tropical vegetation, and a more saturated colour palette than his Canadian scenes.
Street Scene, West Indies captures a vibrant slice of everyday life. The scene is populated with figures that
are rendered in an uncomplicated fashion, full of gesture and animation. Warm, sunlit colour bathes the scene in soft blues, pinks, and yellows, and shadows are cast almost directly below the trees, suggesting a high, hot sun. Brownell’s skill in capturing light, atmosphere, and movement is clear here. His loose but deliberate brushwork is evidence of his strong academic training and also his exploratory artistic eye.
Brownell remained active as an artist and teacher until his death in Ottawa in 1946. His contributions helped shape the early development of fine art in Canada’s capital. His paintings are held in major collections, including the National Gallery of Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario, and continue to be appreciated for their technical excellence and aesthetic sensitivity.
William Henry Clapp (1879 - 1954)
Harbour Scene, 1910 oil on board, 4.75” x 7”
W.H. Clapp was born in Montreal to American parents. He was raised in Oakland, California and in 1900, returned to Montreal to study under William Brymner. He later studied at the Academies Julian, Colarossi, and Grand Chaumiere in Paris. Leaving Europe, Clapp settled for many years in Montreal where he was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Art Academy. In 1917, he returned to Oakland once again and became head curator of the Oakland Art Gallery in 1918. Here he was one of the founding members of the Society of the Six, a group “who introduced broad, bright, impressionist painting to the San Francisco Bay Area”.
Harbour Scene, painted in 1910, depicts a European harbour, engulfed in sun. The light dances off the waves as they lap up against the warm-toned sand. Three highly simplified figures can be seen walking towards the boat where another person sits at its bow. The boat’s mast stretches beyond the edge of the panel, and a line of masts dot the swirling sky in the distance. Painted in line with impressionist techniques but with a more subjective palette, the painting encompasses the artist’s drive for expression. The panel is painted with enthusiasm and spontaneity, a key trademark of the Society of the Six.
Horatio Walker (1858 - 1939)
A Load of Wood, Winter, 1916 oil on canvas, 18” x 24”
Born in Listowel, Ontario, Horatio Walker moved to Toronto at the age of 15 and became an apprentice with the photographic firm Notman and Fraser. Here, he honed his skills under notable artists like Robert Ford Gagen and John Arthur Fraser. Walker opened his studio in New York City in 1878 and soon gained recognition. He helped found the Rochester Art Club and became a member of the American Watercolor Society in 1882.
A Load of Wood, Winter is a masterful evocation of rural life in French Canada, painted with a sensitivity to light and atmosphere. The composition centers on a horse-drawn sleigh being filled with firewood. Walker’s focus is not just on the physical labour of rural life, but on its rhythms, solitude, and the deep connection between humans, animals, and the land during the winter months.
Rendered in a muted palette, the painting conveys the cold stillness of the landscape. A textured path in the snow leads the eye to a fiery sunset seen through a stark, yet energetic tree. The human figure is bundled, anonymous, and dwarfed by the surrounding landscape and architecture. The bull is rendered with strength and realism, its posture and effort palpable, symbolizing both burden and resilience.
Walker, influenced by the Barbizon School and rooted in realism, uses soft brushwork and atmospheric effects to give the scene a timeless, almost meditative quality. A Load of Wood, Winter is not just a record of rural labour, it is a tribute to the endurance of traditional life in Quebec, painted with empathy and restraint. Through his subtle control of colour, composition, and tone, Walker transforms a simple moment into a profound visual poem of survival, landscape, and strength.
Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888 - 1970)
Ste Rose en Automne, 1924 oil on canvas, 16.25” x 31.5”
Marc-Aurèle Fortin was a renowned Canadian painter known for his vibrant depictions of rural Quebec. Born in Sainte-Rose, he celebrated the province’s villages, farmlands, and iconic elm trees with bold colour and expressive brushwork. Largely self-taught, with brief studies in the U.S. and France, Fortin developed a distinctly local style focused on lived-in landscapes rather than untouched wilderness, setting him apart from contemporaries like the Group of Seven.
Ste. Rose en automne captures his hometown in the glow of autumn. Towering trees ablaze in orange and red frame humble houses, creating a rhythmic, almost decorative composition. Fortin’s rich palette and textured brushwork bring warmth and vitality to the scene, turning a simple village street into a poetic tribute to Quebec’s land and people. The work reflects his deep cultural pride and a vision of harmony between human life and nature.
Joseph-Charles
Sailing Vessels at Anchor oil on panel, 10” x 13”
Franchère
(1866 - 1921)
Painter, illustrator, and educator, Joseph-Charles Franchère was associated with the early development of professional art in Quebec. Born in Montreal, he received initial training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montreal and continued his studies in Paris at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts, where he was influenced by both academic and Symbolist traditions.
Franchère returned to Canada in the 1890s and became an important figure in Montreal’s art scene. He was a founding member of the Canadian Art Club and regularly exhibited with the Art Association of Montreal and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
As an educator, Franchère taught at the Conseil des arts et manufactures in Montreal and helped promote art education during a formative period in Quebec’s cultural history. He also contributed illustrations to books and periodicals, showing his versatility across media.
Sailing Vessels at Anchor presents a serene and atmospheric demonstration of Franchère’s sensitivity to light, mood, and composition. The painting captures a quiet maritime moment, where the stillness of the anchored boats contrasts the gentle movement of water and sky. Franchère’s colour palette, likely influenced by his academic training in Paris, is muted to evoke a sense of calm and introspection. The careful rendering of the boats’ forms and rigging reflects his technical precision, while the overall composition is impressionistic in its handling of light and atmosphere.
Franchère’s works are held in major collections, including the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and the National Gallery of Canada. Though his career was cut short by his death in 1921, Franchère is remembered as a key figure in bridging academic European training with the emerging Canadian artistic identity.
Alfred Pellan is celebrated as one of Canada’s most influential modernist painters. His artistic journey evolved from representational imagery to abstract forms and surrealist creations, leaving an indelible mark on Canadian and international art. In addition to painting, Pellan designed murals, theatre costumes, stained glass, and illustrated books, showcasing his multifaceted creativity.
Pellan began his formal art education in 1920 at the École des Beaux-Arts in Quebec City, where his exceptional talent was quickly recognized. At just 17 years old, the National Gallery of Canada acquired his work. In 1926, he earned a prestigious Quebec government scholarship to study in Paris, working under Lucien Simon at the École des Beaux-Arts. During this period, Pellan immersed himself in the works of Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Miró, which profoundly influenced his use of bold colour, abstracted forms, and flattened perspectives.
Pellan’s first solo exhibition took place in 1935 at the Académie Ranson in Paris. Alongside painting, he contributed to the fashion world by designing fabrics for couturier Elsa Schiaparelli. In 1939, he exhibited alongside Picasso, Dalí, and
Alfred Pellan (1916 - 1965)
Une Danseuse oil on cardboard, 8” x 6”
other renowned artists in the Washington exhibition Paris Painters of Today. With the onset of World War II, Pellan returned to Quebec, where his exhibitions in Quebec City and Montreal inspired a new generation of local artists.
Settling in Montreal, Pellan became head of the advanced painting course at the École des BeauxArts in 1943. His work extended beyond painting to include book illustrations and costume designs, notably for a 1946 Montreal production of Twelfth Night. As a leader of the Prisme d’Yeux group in 1948, he championed an art free from ideological constraints, emphasizing pure expression and universal creativity.
Une Danseuse is an example of Pellan’s later figurative work which became increasingly abstracted. Bright colours and suggestive shapes dance throughout the canvas, creating lyricism in form.
In 1952, Pellan returned to Paris on a research fellowship from the Royal Society of Canada. His three-year stay culminated in a major retrospective at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1955. After returning to Montreal, Pellan continued to produce groundbreaking work and exhibit widely, cementing his legacy as a pioneer of Canadian modern art.
Jean-Philippe Dallaire (1916 - 1965)
Jeune Femme au Parapluie, 1957 oil on cardboard, 8” x 6”
Jean-Philippe Dallaire was a Canadian painter known for his vibrant, surreal imagery and playful yet haunting style. Born in Hull, Quebec, he studied art in Canada and later in Paris, where he was influenced by European Modernists and the Surrealist movement. His early work reflected traditional themes, but over time, he developed a distinctive approach characterized by fantastical figures, bold colours, and dreamlike compositions. Despite personal and political hardships, including imprisonment during World War II, Dallaire maintained a unique artistic voice. His work remains influential for its imaginative blending of fantasy, folklore, and modernist aesthetics.
Dallaire’s Jeune Femme au Parapluie is a vivid, whimsical painting that blends surrealism and fantasy. The young woman, stylized rather than realistic, is composed of exaggerated forms, bold outlines, and patterned clothing. Her parasol—a frequent Dallaire motif—adds theatrical flair and symbolic ambiguity, possibly evoking protection or elegance.
Set against an abstract, dreamlike background, the scene feels both playful and uncanny. Vibrant, unnatural colours heighten its surreal quality, while the figure’s mask-like face and decorative surroundings suggest a world shaped by imagination rather than realism. Beneath its charm lies a subtle tension between stillness and strangeness, beauty, and distortion, through which Dallaire explores identity, illusion, and the subconscious.
Leo Mol was born in the Ukrainian village of Polonne in 1915. As a young man he learned to work with clay in his father’s pottery studio before pursuing formal art education at the Leningrad Academy of Arts. When the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, Mol was deported to Germany, where he studied at the Kunst Academy in Berlin. In 1945, he and his wife, Margareth, fled to The Hague in the Netherlands where Mol furthered his education at the Academy of Arts. In 1948, the Mols moved to Canada to build a new life.
Mol’s extensive body of work includes finely crafted ceramic figurines, landscape paintings, stained glass windows in churches, and sculptures in stone and bronze. However, it is the classic portrait sculptures for which Mol achieved an international reputation.
Leo Mol (1915 - 2009)
Awakening, 1990 bronze, 15” x 8” x 6”
His technical skill and his innate ability to capture the essence of his subjects earned him important commissions, including portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II, Sir Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Awakening portrays an expressive figure, rendered with smooth, flowing lines and a serene demeanour. Mol’s classical training is evident in the anatomical precision and the harmonious proportions of the figure. The sculpture’s title, Awakening, suggests a moment of transition or emergence, which is reflected in the gentle posture and upward gaze of the subject. This work embodies Mol’s ability to capture subtle emotional states, inviting viewers to contemplate themes of renewal and introspection.
Jean Albert McEwen (1923 - 1999)
Blason de chevalier rouge, 1962 oil on canvas, 39” x 39”
Jean Albert McEwen was a prominent Canadian abstract painter best known for his richly layered colour fields and expressive, luminous compositions. Born in Montreal, McEwen initially pursued a career in pharmacy before turning to painting full-time in the 1950s. A self-taught artist, he was deeply influenced by the work of French Impressionists and Abstract Expressionists such as Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock. After traveling to Paris in 1951, McEwen returned to Canada with a commitment to non-representational art, becoming a leading figure in Quebec’s modernist movement. As a member of the Non-Figurative Artists’ Association of Montreal and a teacher at Concordia University, McEwen played an important role in advancing abstract art in Canada.
Blason de chevalier rouge is a powerful exploration of colour, texture, and emotion through abstraction. The title, which translates to “Emblem of the Red Knight,” evokes a sense of nobility and inner strength—qualities mirrored in the painting’s rich, layered composition. Dominated by deep reds, maroons, and glowing scarlets, the canvas is both vibrant and contemplative. Rather than presenting a literal subject, McEwen uses colour as his primary language, allowing viewers to experience the work on a visceral, almost spiritual level.
The surface of the painting is highly textured, built up through McEwen’s signature technique of applying multiple translucent and opaque layers. These layers create depth and luminosity, as if the red is radiating from beneath the surface. The central space feels dense and concentrated, like a shield or symbolic core, while the edges of the canvas diffuse into darker, more mysterious tones, pulling the viewer inward.
In Blason de chevalier rouge, McEwen transforms abstraction into an intimate, meditative experience. The work feels like a visual poem—silent, yet emotionally resonant. It doesn’t describe a scene but rather conjures a strong, quiet, and enduring presence. Through his masterful use of colour and form, McEwen invites viewers not just to see the painting, but to feel it, making it a timeless expression of inner power and reflection.
William (W.K.) Kurelek (1927 - 1977)
Lunch Hour Break on Road Construction, 1968 mixed media on board, 27.5” x 35”
William Kurelek was a Canadian artist and writer best known for his deeply personal, often symbolic paintings that explored themes of immigration, faith, identity, and social struggle. Born to Ukrainian immigrant parents in Alberta, Kurelek’s early life on the prairies, and later periods of psychological hardship and spiritual searching profoundly shaped his artistic vision. His paintings frequently depict rural Canadian life with meticulous detail and nostalgic intensity, often incorporating surreal or apocalyptic imagery reflecting his inner turmoil and later embrace of Roman Catholicism. Kurelek’s unique blend of folk realism, narrative symbolism, and moral reflection made him a singular voice in Canadian art, using visual storytelling to bridge personal experience with broader cultural and spiritual questions.
Lunch Hour Break on Road Construction is a rich, detailed portrayal of working-class life in mid-20th-century Canada. The painting captures a group of road construction workers paused for their midday meal in a wide, dusty landscape. Kurelek uses this scene not just to depict a break from their work but to explore themes of human dignity and community.
The composition is tightly constructed yet filled with careful detail—workers sit or lie on the ground, their bodies relaxed but weary, surrounded by thermoses, lunchboxes, and machinery. His meticulous style captures the textures of gravel, concrete, and sunbaked earth, as well as the folds of clothing and worn boots. Small, jovial details surround the harshness of the setting one worker pulls another’s suspenders, who plays a harmonica, and blue jays nibble at the workmen’s scraps. Despite the realism, there’s a slight flatness to the perspective, giving the painting a folk-art quality that heightens its narrative tone.
These men are tired and anonymous, but Kurelek treats them with great respect. The painting honours the endurance and solidarity of manual labourers, presenting a moment of rest as something sacred and deeply human. In doing so, Kurelek elevates the ordinary, telling the overlooked stories of Canada’s working class with empathy, honesty, and personal vision.
William (W.K.) Kurelek (1927 - 1977)
Still Life with Treasury Notes, c. 1955 mixed media, 6.5” x 10.5”
William (W.K.) Kurelek (1927 - 1977)
Playing Ball mixed media on board, 4.5” x 12”
Molly Lamb Bobak (1920 - 2014)
Beach, c. 1965 oil on canvas, 22” x 30”
Molly Lamb Bobak was a Canadian painter and printmaker best known for her lively depictions of crowds, urban life, and everyday scenes. As the first Canadian woman to be appointed an official war artist, she documented the activities and contributions of women in the military during World War II with warmth and humanity. Her postwar work often focused on public gathering places and floral still lifes, all captured with loose, expressive brushwork and a vibrant palette. Bobak’s art celebrates community and movement, offering a distinctly personal and dynamic view of modern Canadian life.
Bobak’s Beach captures the vibrant energy and movement of a summer day through her signature blend of loose brushwork and lively composition. The scene is filled with figures scattered across a sunlit shoreline, depicted not in sharp detail but as gestural marks and dabs of colour that suggest bodies in motion—walking, lounging and playing. Rather than focusing on any
single individual, Bobak emphasizes the collective rhythm of people gathered in a shared public space.
Her palette is warm and luminous, dominated by sandy beiges, soft blues, and sun-washed hues that evoke the brightness of the day. The brushstrokes are quick and expressive, giving the scene a sense of spontaneity and immediacy, as if capturing a fleeting moment in time. Perspective is subtly flattened, placing more importance on surface and pattern than on depth, which reinforces the idea of the crowd as a unified presence.
Beach celebrates ordinary joy—people enjoying the weather, the water, and each other’s company. It reflects Bobak’s lifelong interest in crowds and public gatherings, turning the familiar into something lyrical and painterly. The result is a work that feels both personal and universal, a visual ode to the quiet beauty of shared human activity.
Ivan Kenneth Eyre (1935 – 2022)
Beach Moment, 2011 bronze, 17” x 15” x 34”
For me, the motivation to sculpt or paint is fundamental, in itself, in going forward in search of perfection, meaning and uniqueness. There is an overwhelming need to make it intriguing and truthful. We cannot improve on the beauty and mystery of nature, but sculpture and painting can echo its sense of grandeur and completeness.
—Ivan Eyre 2014
Ivan Eyre was born in Tullymet, Saskatchewan in 1935. He trained under Ernest Lindner and Eli Bornstein, and in 1957 graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Eyre later returned to the university as Professor of Painting and Drawing and taught there until his retirement in 1993.
For more than five decades, Eyre produced an incredible body of work comprised of paintings, sculptures and drawings. Most known for his paintings, Eyre has painted figurative work and portraits, still lifes, personal mythologies, figure silhouette/landscapes, portraits and panoramic landscapes. His ability to combine these various interests into works of authority and visual appeal has made Eyre one of Canada’s most respected painters.
In analyzing his own work, Eyre states, “…something less than a full understanding of a work is desirable in that it allows the painting to keep giving. A complete understanding would signify that we don’t have to think about it anymore. Some mystery should remain, compelling viewers back to the paintings...possibly to reaffirm themselves.”
Among his many honours, Eyre was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy, received the Queen’s Gold and Silver Jubilee medals, the Order of Manitoba, an honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Manitoba, and was the subject of several films and books. In December 2015, he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his significant contribution to art in Canada.
Beach Moment is exemplary of Eyre’s distinctive approach to the human figure. The figure is relaxed, their posture calm and contemplative. Crafted in bronze, the sculpture’s smooth surfaces and flowing lines highlight Eyre’s mastery in manipulating form and material. Beach Moment stands as a testament to Eyre’s ability to infuse his sculptures with psychological depth and a harmonious connection to their setting.
John Geoffrey Caruthers Little (1928 - 2024)
Les escaliers contre rue Lavigueur et rue Arago Est, Québec, 1962 oil on canvas, 30” x 24”
John Geoffrey Caruthers Little was born in Montreal. He studied at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School of Art and Design and later at the Art Students League in New York. Little began his career in his family’s architectural firm, a background that deeply influenced his painting style. He is celebrated for capturing the charm and changing face of Montreal’s neighborhoods, often focusing on row houses, snowcovered streets, and corner stores. His work bridges realism and nostalgia, preserving moments of everyday life with warmth and precision. He often portrays scenes in winter or early spring, highlighting the textures of brick, wood, and snow. More than documentation, his art reflects a deep affection for the city and its people. Through his meticulous technique and personal vision, Little has become one of Canada’s most respected urban landscape painters.
Les escaliers contre rue Lavigueur et rue Arago Est, Québec is a striking urban landscape that showcases Little’s appreciation for the architectural character and atmosphere of Quebec’s older neighborhoods. In this painting, Little captures a steep residential street where outdoor staircases cling to the hill next to tightly packed homes—an iconic feature of Quebec urban design. The perspective is slightly angled, drawing the viewer’s eye down into the composition and then to-
wards the distant, snow-covered hills.
Each building is rendered with careful detail, yet the painting maintains a painterly warmth that avoids photographic precision. The colour palette is soft but rich—muted reds and earthy browns dominate the structures and streets, while the sky is painted in soft whites and cool blues. Little’s architectural background is evident in the accuracy of line and proportion, but it’s his sense of atmosphere that truly animates the piece. Two of his signature figures descend the staircase, and another climbs the stairs towards them. More figures exist in the distant streets, becoming less and less defined, suggesting daily life unfolding even beyond the frame.
Through Les escaliers contre rue Lavigueur et rue Arago Est, Little offers not just a view of a specific location, but a tribute to the resilient beauty of workingclass urban life. The staircases, a practical response to crowded streets and steep terrain, become symbols of connection, movement, and adaptation. In elevating these everyday structures to the subject of fine art, Little continues his mission of honouring the overlooked corners of the city with dignity and artistic grace.
Peter Clapham Sheppard (1879 - 1965)
Cabstand, Winter, Dominion Square, Montreal, c. 1926 oil on canvas, 20” x 24.5”
Peter Clapham Sheppard was a Canadian painter best known for his vibrant urban scenes and ability to capture the changing landscapes of early 20thcentury Canada. Born in Toronto, Sheppard studied at the Central Ontario School of Art and Design, where he was influenced by impressionist techniques and the growing movement toward modernist expression. While many of his contemporaries in Canadian art focused on scenes of remote wilderness, Sheppard turned his attention to the energy of the city— its industry, architecture, and working-class life. His paintings reflect a keen observational eye and a deep appreciation for the rhythms of urban environments. Sheppard often depicted Toronto and Montreal at a time of rapid growth and transformation, preserving a visual record of Canada’s modernization. His use of bold colour and confident brushwork helped bridge traditional realism with the emerging modernist trends of the early 20th century.
In Cabstand, Winter, Dominion Square, Sheppard captures a slice of urban life in Montreal during the early 1900s. The painting presents a row of horse-drawn cabs lined up in the snow at Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square). The composition is grounded in a strong horizontal line, with the carriages forming a rhythmic pattern that leads the viewer’s eye across the scene. The surrounding architecture looms softly in the background, providing context without overpowering the central action.
Through this work, Sheppard conveys not just a moment in time but the resilience and routine of everyday urban life in a Canadian winter. His sensitivity to light, mood, and atmosphere makes Cabstand, Winter, Dominion Square both a historical document and an expressive work of art.
Maud Lewis, born in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, is a celebrated Canadian folk artist whose life and work continue to captivate art lovers worldwide. Despite facing severe physical challenges from birth defects and rheumatoid arthritis, Lewis’s resilience and passion for art shone brightly throughout her life. Her father, a blacksmith and harness maker, and her mother, who introduced her to painting, provided a supportive environment. Lewis’s early artistic endeavours included hand-painted Christmas cards, which she sold to supplement the family’s income.
In 1938, she married Everett Lewis, a fish peddler, and moved into his tiny one-room house in Marshalltown, Nova Scotia. Despite living in poverty without electricity or plumbing, she transformed their home into a vibrant canvas, painting everything from the walls to household items with cheerful scenes of flowers, animals, and landscapes. Her whimsical and nostalgic depictions of rural Nova Scotia life, including oxen teams, boats, and winter scenes, quickly gained popularity.
Lewis achieved national recognition in the 1960s, with features in the Toronto Star Weekly and on CBC-TV’s Telescope. Her art, characterized by its bright colours and joyful themes, resonated with many, leading to
Maud Lewis (1903 – 1970)
Covered Bridge with Three Sleighs, c. 1965 oil on board, 11.5” x 13.75”
increased demand. Notably, two of her paintings were purchased by the White House during Richard Nixon’s presidency.
Despite her growing fame, Lewis continued to live humbly, painting from her corner of the small house she shared with her husband. Her works are now highly valued, with paintings fetching significant sums. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia houses a substantial collection of her art, including the restored Lewis home, which stands as a testament to her enduring legacy.
Lewis’s life and art have inspired numerous books, documentaries, and plays. Notable works include the book The Illuminated Life of Maud Lewis and the National Film Board of Canada documentaries Maud Lewis—A World Without Shadows and The Illuminated Life of Maud Lewis. Her story was also dramatized in the 2016 film Maudie, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke.
Maud Lewis’s remarkable journey from a challenging childhood to becoming one of Canada’s most beloved folk artists is a testament to her indomitable spirit and artistic talent. Her vibrant paintings continue to bring joy and inspiration, celebrating the beauty of everyday life in rural Nova Scotia.
Henry Sandham (1842 – 1910)
Tobogganing, 1905
watercolour on paper, 17.25” x 13”
Henry Sandham, born in Montreal, was a member of the Society of Canadian Artists. He began his career at William Notman’s photography studio, where he developed skills in composition and visual storytelling. Sandham transitioned into illustration and painting, contributing to major publications such as Harper’s Monthly and The Century Magazine. He gained recognition for his detailed, narrative-driven works that often depicted key moments in Canadian and American history. Later, moving to Boston and then London, Sandham maintained an international presence. His work is notable for bridging photography, illustration, and fine art during a formative period in North American art.
Tobogganing presents two elegantly dressed figures participating in a familiar winter activity. Playful but sincere, the scene is full of movement and expression. The female figure’s scarf flutters behind her, while the male figure clings to the sled. She looks forward, out of the scene, while his gaze is lowered.
Sandham’s training in photography and illustration is evident in the careful composition and attention to gesture, expression, and detail. Defining his style and talent, this scene blends realism with narrative and intrigue.
Frank Milton Armington (1876 - 1941)
Windsor Castle, 1940 oil on canvas, 29” x 36.25”
A distinguished Canadian-born artist, Armington left an indelible mark on the world of lithographs, etchings, and paintings from 1908 to 1940. His art, celebrated for fluid lines and precise etchings, captured idyllic countrysides, nocturnal cityscapes, architectural details, and floral still lifes. Together with his wife Caroline, the Armingtons embraced the etching revival of the early 20th century and became well-established figures in the Parisian expatriate art community, where they resided for over 30 years.
Trained under J.W.L. Forster in Toronto, the Armingtons further honed their skills at prestigious Parisian academies. Their etchings gained commercial success in both Europe and North America, prized for their evocative subject matter and portability. Among their notable commis-
sions were works for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian War Memorials Portfolio. Frank Armington’s experimental approach shone through in his portraits, nudes, and night scenes, where he masterfully used shading to create atmospheric perspectives.
The Armingtons’ artistic legacy endures in collections of esteemed institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the New York Public Library. Their return to North America in 1939 marked the end of an era, with Armington passing away shortly after his wife’s death in New York. The couple’s timeless depictions of old Europe and modern North America continue to captivate art enthusiasts, reflecting the historic charm of the places they immortalized.
