Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, St. Louis
Private Collection, Ontario
Between 1941 and 1945, Fortin explored the Gaspésie region of Quebec. With the exception of Jackson and Lismer, very few other artists ventured as far out as the Gaspé. Fortin discovered an entirely new terrain to paint, full of meadows and hills, which replaced historical stone houses as his primary subject matter. Fortin ventured through the entire peninsula as well as the mountains in the interior, always by bicycle.
Fortin’s artworks of the Gaspésie region of Quebec demonstrate his subsequent preferred style: watercolours punctuated with black pencil and oil pastels. “Gaspé Coast” depicts a classic view of the hills and coast of the region, in delicate watercolours with black pastel outlines. The work illustrates the palette specific to his illustrations of the Gaspé; his colours are muted and more sombre, in contrast to the bright greens of his prior works. A marvelous patchwork of fields in shades of green and yellow draw the viewer’s eye forward to a chapel and waterfront village.
