CPE OC
1923 - 2008
Canadian
Portrait
oil on board
on verso inscribed "Ptng.04", numbered "BG-T-(1949)-01" on a label and stamped "Studio Betty Goodwin"
6 x 10 in, 15.2 x 25.4 cm
Estimate: $1,200 - $1,600 CAD
Sold for: $1,125
Preview at:
PROVENANCE
Estate of the Artist
At the beginning of her career, at the close of the Second World War, Betty Goodwin was especially concerned with art’s purpose. Like many other artists of her generation, she saw painting as a political and social act that could reconnect the individual to a greater collective purpose. Thus, in the early 1950s, she worked in the Social Realist tradition, depicting the continued struggle of the working class and wartime immigrants through scenes of the Montreal Jewish neighborhoods and portraits of workers.
This work is a touching and intimate portrait of an older man set on a balcony overlooking a typical Montreal alley, holding his head in his right hand. His expression is a remarkable mix of pensiveness and serenity, with details such as the slightly upturned mouth and downcast eyes. Goodwin’s expert draughtsmanship and empathy for her subject are evident in this striking portrait.
All prices are in Canadian Dollars
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