James Edward Hervey MacDonald 1873 - 1932

Private Collection, Toronto

Paul Duval, The Tangled Garden, The Art of J.E.H. MacDonald, Toronto, 1978, p. 89

This painting has been examined under UV and it is in excellent condition. A small portion of support veneer is lost in the upper right corner (1 ½ by 1/8 in.) We would like to thank "In Restauro Conservart Inc." for examing this painting and their original notes are available upon request to Sotheby's.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

It was in the Algoma area of Northern Ontario that MacDonald found his spiritual home as an artist. His most memorable works are of that area's craggy hills, multi-hued foliage, wild rivers and frothy waterfalls.

Duval comments:

In MacDonald's small on-the-spot oil sketches created during his three trips, we already find the astonishing impact Algoma had upon him as an artist. Precisely observed and brilliantly drawn with a free, loaded brush, these little panels reveal a new creative confidence and technical assurance. They are usually designed with all the completeness of a large composition, yet, they possess the autographic freshness which belongs to an instant sketch. MacDonald seems to have been on top of his Algoma material from the beginning... Though small in size, these little painted pieces of board or wood are among the most vivid portrayals of Canadian earth.

In this Algoma sketch, MacDonald has recorded the impact that this pristine wilderness had on him as an artist. In the small space of this wooden panel he has expressively and brilliantly drawn the wilderness at the edge of the river. It is a robust, tightly packed, multi-coloured timberland where the red maples and crimson blueberry bushes are interspersed with the greens of the conifers and golds of the deciduous trees.

MacDonald's brushwork is free and spontaneous and its calligraphy fills the whole painting with vigorous strokes. The trees, water and sky are together joined in a joyous impasto.