signed lower right; signed and titled on the reverse; signed, titled and dated 1953 on a label on the reverse
12 × 15 in (30.5 × 38.1 cm)
Auction Estimate:$18,000 - $22,000
Sale date:June 9, 2021
Price Realized
$31,200
(including Buyer's Premium)
Provenance
Private Collection, Toronto
“Farm Near Baptiste” was painted in the granite highlands just south of Algonquin Park. The area was among the favourite sketching locales of the Group of Seven, whose members visited the region with great frequency. Algonquin Park and its environs have since become iconic in Canadian art history as inspiration for countless influential works.
A.J. Casson presents a humble farm perched on rocky ground. The weathered buildings are ringed with the brilliant orange of autumn leaves, flickering flame-like in the background. The foliage provides contrast to the earthy tones of the structures at the centre of the composition. The structures of the farm visually relate to the boulders in the foreground, highlighting the close connection between the humble dwellings and their environment. In his depictions of Ontario villages and farms, Casson explores the theme of stoic resilience in defiance of eternal forces of nature.
