signed lower right; signed, titled, dated 1974 and inscribed “Oxtongue” on the reverse
12 × 15 in (30.5 × 38.1 cm)
Auction Estimate:$18,000 - $22,000
Sale date:December 3, 2020
Price Realized
$20,400
(including Buyer's Premium)
Provenance
Kastel Gallery, Montreal
Roberts Gallery, Toronto
Bremner Fine Art, Ontario
Private Collection, Toronto
Literature
Megan Bice, “The McMichael Canadian Art Collection”, Kleinburg, 1989, page 105
Dennis Reid, “A Concise History of Canadian Painting”, Toronto, pages 177 and 179
A favourite painting location, A.J. Casson painted Oxtongue Lake in the Algonquin Highlands many times during his career. This area, near Huntsville, was visited frequently by the Group of Seven members on their sketching trips undertaken both independently and collectively.
“Woodland, Oxtongue” presents Casson’s perspective from the shore looking into the wilderness beyond. The contrast between the background of mossy greens against the brighter tones of the trees in the foreground infuses the composition with light, highlighting the fresh natural tonalities Casson admired most. Painting year round, Casson’s “interpretation of the subtle variations of summertime green has become a trademark of his work.” Casson focuses on the formal qualities of nature, painting the leaves in an abstracted and geometric style, while maintaining his craft in replicating nature’s aura.
