signed lower right; signed, titled and inscribed "The property of my wife. A.J. Casson" on the reverse
12 × 15 in (30.5 × 38.1 cm)
(including Buyer's Premium)
Private Collection, Toronto
The Palmer Rapids are a well-known stretch of whitewater along the Madawaska River in eastern Ontario. Characterized by rocky channels, rolling waves, and shifting currents, the site has become a local landmark, embodying the rugged qualities of the Ontario wilderness that inspired Canadian landscape painters such as A.J. Casson. The artist painted many scenes of rapids across Ontario and Quebec during his long career, including the Oxtongue River and the Rouge River.
The linear forms and decorative patterns in the rocks of Rapids on the Madawaska—at Palmer Rapids demonstrate Casson’s mature landscapes with reductive, abstract designs, foregoing literal atmospheric portrayal. Casson’s notable dedication to Ontarian subject matter meant that the artist developed an expert eye in rendering the subtlety of the landscape. !e distinct seasons in Ontario meant the artist was constantly provided with changing environs that inspired him without having to leave the province, like many of his contemporaries. Here, the rapids dominate the composition, with traces of fall foliage visible along the upper edge. The surging water of the falls against the muted tones of a rocky channel saturates this oil sketch with great vitality and gives the viewer the sense that they are standing on one of the rocks in the rapids.
