Sold for: $18,750

PROVENANCE
Canadian Fine Arts, Toronto
Private Collection, Maple, Ontario
Canadian Fine Art Auction, Waddington's, Toronto, May 28, 2018, lot 108
Private Collection, Ontario

This 1979 A.J. Casson oil on board is the on-site study for the canvas Early July Morning, sold by Heffel in July of 2020. En plein air sketches like this are, of course, full and complete artistic statements in themselves, but certain compositions such as this one also beautifully lend themselves to further exploration in the studio. Oxtongue Lake is located in Ontario’s Algonquin Highlands, just off the southwest corner of Algonquin Park. It was a favourite destination for the artist during this period of his career, during which he was firmly established pillar of Canadian art. Easily accessible by car, Oxtongue Lake still offered the rich, unspoiled landscapes that had so inspired Casson, his peers, and what was by then an entirely new generation of artists following in the steps of the Group of Seven. This serene sketch includes many examples of what makes Casson’s work his own – a palpable sense of atmosphere, a skillful modulation of palette, an elegantly balanced composition, and a subtle, distinctive description of the effects of light and water.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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