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LOT 127

CGP CSPWC G7 OC POSA PRCA
1898 - 1992
Canadian

Algonquin Park
oil on board
signed and on verso titled, dated 1950 and inscribed "16" and with an inscription from Charles Matthews "To Jean and Jack" with a personal message
9 1/2 x 11 1/4 in, 24.1 x 28.6 cm

Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000 CAD

Sold for: $46,250

Preview at:

PROVENANCE
A gift from Charles Matthews to a Private Collection, Ontario
By descent to the present Private Collection, Ontario


This exceptional oil sketch of Algonquin Park by A.J. Casson boasts an interesting provenance. It was originally gifted by Charles Matthews, the “Uncle Chuck” of the verso inscription, co-founder of the commercial art firm Sampson Matthews Limited. The finely wrought inscription and title card show the refined skill of the graphic designers he employed. By 1950, Casson had been employed by Sampson Matthews for nearly 25 years, and had risen to the role of vice-president and art director. The influence of Casson’s career can be clearly seen in this work, with its distinctive stylized structures and finely balanced palette and composition. Matthews and Casson were close friends, and the artist would visit him and his wife Alice at their summer cottage in Algonquin. Located over a kilometre by boat from the main landing, Matthews’s peeled-log cabin was built in 1941 on Canoe Lake, a key location in Canadian art history. The motif of a rocky, tree-lined island was a prominent theme for Casson and his peers, featuring in masterpieces such Lawren Harris’s Northern Painting 25, Northern Island II.


Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000 CAD

All prices are in Canadian Dollars


Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information posted, errors and omissions may occur. All bids are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Business. Bidders must ensure they have satisfied themselves with the condition of the Lot prior to bidding. Condition reports are available upon request.