Halcyon Morn, circa 1933/34

Watson Art Galleries, Montreal F.T. White, Toronto Joyner Waddington’s, auction, Toronto, December 2, 2003, Lot 101 Canadian Corporate Collection, Ontario

Joyner Waddington’s, “Canadian Art”, auction catalogue, Toronto, December 2 & 3, 2003, unpaginated (lot 101)

Executed in a soft, frosty winter palette, “Halcyon Morn” captures the subtle and serene calm of a winter’s morning in the quiet Canadian landscape. Ever emotive, Johnston was moved by the scene and inscribed on the reverse of the work, “One of those rarely ecstatic mornings in midwinter, asparkle with the shimmering and jewel-like crystals of frost and snow, that thrills every beholder.” Influenced by 19th century artists like Homer Watson, Johnston left the Group of Seven in 1921 and focused on creating romantic landscapes which explored light and pattern. Using soft hues of periwinkle and lavender, Johnston creates soft shadows cast by the golden morning sun on the untouched blanket of snow covering the ground. The central tree forms provide a canopy of coverage in the delicate network of branches casting shadows over the foreground. The quiet of winter’s morning is wonderfully captured in this composition and exemplifies the artist’s talent and mastery of atmospheric painting. A catalogue listing for “Halcyon Morn”indicates that the artwork was executed during the winter of 1933/34 and then shown at Montreal’s Watson Art Gallery during October of 1934.