Portrait of an Indian
66 cms x 50.8 cms (26 ins x 20 ins)
Signed
Lot offered for sale by Heffel, Vancouver at the auction event "November Live Auction 2016, Toronto Live auction" held on Wed, Nov 23, 2016.
Lot 130
Lot 130
Estimate: CAD $20,000 - $30,000
Realised: CAD $32,450
Realised: CAD $32,450
Lot description - from the online catalogue*
Provenance:
G. Blair Laing Limited, Toronto
By descent to the present Private Collection, Toronto
Literature:
Hugh A. Dempsey, History in Their Blood: The Indian Portraits of Nicholas de Grandmaison, 1982, pages 40 and 46
Notes:
Nicholas de Grandmaison was born in Russia to an aristocratic family and spent his early life as an army officer. In 1919 he attended a Russian officers' training camp in England, but a short time later, revolution in Russia closed the door to his returning to his homeland. Instead, he went to art school in London, and in 1923, immigrated to Canada, settling in the Prairies. Portraiture was his chosen genre, facilitated by his charming, engaging personality. In 1930, during a pivotal trip to The Pas in northern Manitoba, he became fascinated with First Nations peoples. He saw them in a romantic light as independent and proud, and attained renown for his depictions of members of First Nations tribes such as the Peigan, Blackfoot and Blood. De Grandmaison passionately declared, "I love them as fellow brothers. They have character, color and history in their blood...These are my children, and I wish to preserve their faces for posterity. I shall paint them until I die." De Grandmaison was a master of the pastel medium, as seen in this particularly fine portrait, which embodies the noble character that he sought in his subjects.
G. Blair Laing Limited, Toronto
By descent to the present Private Collection, Toronto
Literature:
Hugh A. Dempsey, History in Their Blood: The Indian Portraits of Nicholas de Grandmaison, 1982, pages 40 and 46
Notes:
Nicholas de Grandmaison was born in Russia to an aristocratic family and spent his early life as an army officer. In 1919 he attended a Russian officers' training camp in England, but a short time later, revolution in Russia closed the door to his returning to his homeland. Instead, he went to art school in London, and in 1923, immigrated to Canada, settling in the Prairies. Portraiture was his chosen genre, facilitated by his charming, engaging personality. In 1930, during a pivotal trip to The Pas in northern Manitoba, he became fascinated with First Nations peoples. He saw them in a romantic light as independent and proud, and attained renown for his depictions of members of First Nations tribes such as the Peigan, Blackfoot and Blood. De Grandmaison passionately declared, "I love them as fellow brothers. They have character, color and history in their blood...These are my children, and I wish to preserve their faces for posterity. I shall paint them until I die." De Grandmaison was a master of the pastel medium, as seen in this particularly fine portrait, which embodies the noble character that he sought in his subjects.
Most realised prices include the Buyer's Premium of 18-25%, but not the HST/GST Tax.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Heffel auction house for permission to use.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Heffel auction house for permission to use.