The Plage at Le Touquet

The Estate of a Prominent Canadian Collector

Paul Duval, “Canadian Impressionism”, Toronto, pages 70 and 153

A native of Hamilton, Ontario, John Wentworth Russell studied at the Art Students League in New York, where he developed his distinct impressionist style before arriving in Paris in 1905. He lived in the French capital for over twenty-five years. “The Plage at Le Touquet” depicts the seaside resort in northern France along the shoreline of the English Channel. Le Touquet is a summer destination for Parisians, and was once known as “Paris by the Sea”. Russell likely visited the area regularly during its thriving years in the pre-war era. In Russell’s painting, created in his signature impressionistic manner of soft pastel hues, we see posh beachgoers scattered across the sand beneath a sky of swirling clouds. Upon his return to Canada, Russell opened his own art school in Toronto. Paul Duval writes of the artist: “A strong individualist, Russell avoided joining organized art societies, and was often embroiled in controversy because of his outspoken comments.” He goes on to describe Russell as “a provocateur, defending his position on art and vigorously nettling opposing schools of painting.”