Caleb Keene

Cowley Abbott Auction House Biography and Notes

An Oakville, Ontario artist who was a painter and lacquer worker, he exhibited his paintings at the Eaton Fine Art Galleries, College Street, Toronto in the 1930s and 1940s. A Toronto Star Weekly reporter described his studio as follows, "Mr. C. Keene is a painter of Canada; he loved the woods, the hills and the streams of the Dominion and he has put his love on to canvas. But in addition to the fame he has won for his landscapes he is recognized as the foremost exponent of lacquer work in the Dominion and his reputation in this branch of art is world-wide. A Star reporter called upon Mr. Keene and was ushered into his roomy studio. About the room were examples of his work - landscapes of the Laurentians, scenes in France and Belgium and Africa, for Mr. Keene is a great traveller; screens, cabinets and tapestries in lacquer. Perhaps the most intriguing things in his studio were the examples of lacquer work executed by Mr. Keene. He has been a student of this almost forgotten art for a great number of years and his work is considered to be among the finest produced. A large cabinet lacquered in pure vermillion stood at one side of the studio and have an excellent idea of his capabilities. No Dutch craftsman of the eighteenth century ever turned out a smoother or more beautiful piece of work. The rich varnish felt like polished glass and the embossed design built up by countless brush strokes was superb." During his 1939 exhibit at Eaton Fine Art Galleries, Toronto, his paintings were reviewed by the Saturday Night as follows, "Mr. Caleb Keene delights us with a small group of his still-lifes - exquisitely mellow compositions that seem to embody the glow of old silver, the patina of rich bronze, the warmth of faded parchment and the bouquet of rare wine. Mr. Keene's interest lies in the play of texture and surface, and he caresses the objects in his well-seasoned little world with a most loving brush. This is a most appropriate showing for the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness." Caleb Keene was the father of Louise Keene, Canadian artist.