Sold for: $133,250

PROVENANCE
Watson Art Galleries, Montreal
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Pitfield, Toronto

Portage on the Ottawa River, Canada is an elegant and exquisitely rendered canvas from 1888, at the peak of Frederick Verner’s artistic popularity both in Canada and abroad. Verner resided in England at this time, and it was classic Canadian subjects like this work that continued to resonate extremely well with collectors and the general public. During this period, he transitioned away from larger groupings of figures to include just one or two solitary figures in his paintings. There is an emphasis on slightly stronger colouration and a poetic reverence for the Canadian landscape Verner most certainly missed while living in England, not seen in his earlier depictions of similar subjects.

The birchbark canoe featured here is one of the most ingenious inventions of First Nations people. These vessels were indispensable to Indigenous transportation as well as settlers’ early exploration, which supported the fur trade. The boats were made with superb craftsmanship, and Verner depicts their construction meticulously. With birchbark as their prime material, these canoes remained light, hence easier to portage over long distances. You can almost sense the lightness of the canoe through the relative ease of the figure’s stance below its weight. This is a rare canvas and a true portal into Verner’s ability and skill as a painter at the height of his career.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars