Alexander Young Jackson 1882 - 1974

Private Collection, Montreal

Walter Klinkhoff Gallery, Montreal

Private Collection, Toronto

This work has been viewed under UV and it is in pristine condition. 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.

Jackson's annual late-winter trips among the small villages along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec provided him with steady inspiration over many years. Although his initial purpose was to document these old settlements, which he thought were about to disappear, Jackson inevitably fell in love with both the terrain and the civilization that was deeply rooted there.

This early sketch of St. Simeon is a remarkably rich portrait of a corner of the village, and it includes all the elements one might hope to find. The rail fence in the foreground leads the viewer's eye into the painting, across the snowy fields, and into the village itself. There one finds an assortment of roofs, one of them red, in an almost cubist arrangement. The church, with its prominent spire, is set against the backdrop of the deep blue river and the granite hills of the pre-Cambrian shield further along the coast.

Jackson's technique in this sketch is formidable -- one of those days when his mind and brush worked as one and could do no wrong. He has avoided his usual reliance on a formula, and caught the entire scene with swift, sure brushstrokes, each one loaded with paint. Both his overall control of the balance in the composition and his attention to the details is immaculate. The colours are both bold and subtle throughout, and even the sky is laid in with a directness that perfectly suits the landscape below. This is Jackson at his finest.