Galerie Clarence Gagnon, Quebec
Joyner Waddington’s, auction, Toronto, June 1, 2004, Lot 103
Canadian Corporate Collection, Ontario
Between 1923 and 1927, Marc-Aurèle Fortin focused much of his artistic production on large trees, often shown alongside rustic dwellings. This contrast suggests the theme of man overpowered by nature, one that is frequently seen in the Canadian landscapes of Fortin and his contemporaries. In “Vieille maison”, painted during this period, a stone farmhouse stands between two towering bare trees. The large branches intersect and cast shadows onto the roof, dominating the upper portion of the canvas. Fortin painted various trees, in oils and watercolours, throughout the small towns of Quebec. This early oil painting (painted circa 1925) depicts a scene during the changing of the seasons - likely early spring, evidenced by the leafless trees together with the green grass.
