CANADIAN POST~WAR & CONTEMPORARY ART - Heffel

HEFFEL FINE ART AUCTION HOUSE 103 JACK LEONARD SHADBOLTBCSFA CGP CSPWC OC RCA 1909 ~ 1998Near Ashcroftwatercolour on paper, signed, titled and dated July 1954and on verso signed, titled Shacks, Merrit, BC and dated15 3/4 x 22 1/2 in, 40 x 57.1 cmPROVENANCE:Acquired directly from the ArtistPrivate Collection, OntarioLITERATURE:Jack Shadbolt, In Search of Form, 1968, pages 76 and 77In the 1950s, Jack Shadbolt’s profile was on the rise, and he was shown inan impressive array of international exhibitions as a representative ofCanada: the Caracas Bienal in 1953 and 1955; the Sao Paulo Bienal, 1954;the Carnagie International Exhibition (Pittsburgh) in 1955; the VeniceBiennale, 1956; the Brussels International Exposition, 1958; and theGuggenheim International Exhibition, also in 1958.Shadbolt credited the Group of Seven for stressing the importance ofworking on location to find the true spirit of a landscape, and stated,“Through detail we can enter into wonder. Roaming around a ‘world’inhabited by its own special objects, one is taken inside the experience asa participator.” Shadbolt was often intrigued by buildings and theopportunities they presented for creating a rhythm through their angularplanes, as with these shacks at Merritt juxtaposed one against the other.Near Ashcroft is a fine example of what Shadbolt called his “relaxedClassical attitude”, with all its elements quietly present, radiating thecalm ambiance of BC’s rural interior.ESTIMATE: $6,000 ~ 8,0003