signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1972 on the reverse
12 × 15 in (30.5 × 38.1 cm)
(including Buyer's Premium)
Roberts Gallery, Toronto
Private Collection, Toronto
Joan Murray, A.J. Casson, Windsor, 1978, pages 3, 32
Painted in 1972, Clearing After Rain (South Portage) is a striking example of A.J. Casson’s mature and atmospheric vision of the Ontario landscape. Situated at the southern edge of Algonquin Park, the rolling hills of South Portage and its dramatic cloud formations suited Casson’s interest in atmosphere and composition. In this work, the air sits heavy with moisture as clouds have begun to recede into the distance. The presence of the recently ended storm still looms in this scene as the lake and trees in the distance appear darkened.
By the time this work was completed, Casson was well into his full-time painting career, which began following his retirement in 1958 as Vice-President and Art Director at Sampson-Matthews. Freed from the demands of work, Casson entered a period of complete focus on artistic production. During this time, Casson further explored Ontario, incorporating small-town scenes into his work, as well as revisiting the varied terrains of his early career locations. Clearing After Rain (South Portage) exemplifies Casson’s late-career refinement to utilize a softer colour palette to define a dramatic landscape.
