signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1969 on the reverse
12 × 15 in (30.5 × 38.1 cm)
Auction Estimate:$20,000 - $30,000
Sale date:December 6, 2023
Price Realized
$33,600
(including Buyer's Premium)
Provenance
Private Collection, Ontario
Literature
Ted Herriott, “Sunday Morning with Cass, Conversations with A.J. Casson”, Mississauga, 1993, page 128
Oxtongue River is located on the southwestern edge of Algonquin Park in Ontario. The area was frequented by Group of Seven members who embarked on both collective and independent sketching trips.
As a result, Algonquin Park and the surrounding area has become an iconic visual reference in Canadian art history. Casson’s notable dedication to Ontarian subject matter meant that the artist developed an expert eye in rendering the subtlety of the landscape. When asked by Ted Herriott in ‘Sunday Morning with Cass” for his favourite painting location, Casson replied,“It depends on different times. I did an awful lot of work up around the Huntsville area – Oxtongue Lake, Oxtongue River, into the [Algonquin] Park there.” The distinct seasons in Ontario meant that the artist was constantly provided with changing environs that inspired him without having to leave the province, like many of his contemporaries.
The surging water of the falls against the muted tones of a rocky channel saturates this strong oil sketch with great vitality and gives the viewer the sense that they are standing on the rock pans. Casson often used rock forms in his paintings as they gave a solid sculptural quality to his landscapes.
