Patte de velours
91.4 cms x 76.2 cms (36 ins x 30 ins)
Signed and dated 1955
made in 1955
Lot offered for sale by Heffel, Vancouver at the auction event "Fine Canadian Art Fall 2005 Live auction" held on Thu, Nov 24, 2005.
Lot 133
Lot 133
Estimate: CAD $125,000 - $175,000
Realised: CAD $264,500
Realised: CAD $264,500
Lot description - from the online catalogue*
Provenance:
Acquired by G. Blair Laing on May 15, 1958 at Borduas's studio in Paris
Acquired by the present Private Toronto Collector in 1958 from Laing Galleries, Toronto
Literature:
François-Marc Gagnon, Paul-Émile Borduas, 1978, listed page 445
Notes:
On May 15, 1958, the well-known Toronto art dealer, G. Blair Laing, visited Paul-Émile Borduas in his Paris studio. He purchased Patte de velours, 1955, along with six other paintings: Les boucliers enchantés, 1953, now at the Art Gallery of Ontario; Roses et verts, 1953; Le Château de Toutânkhamon, 1953, which belongs to a well-known Montreal collector; La carrière engloutie, 1953; Le vent dans les ailes, 1953, now in the hands of a Toronto private collector; and Vol vertical, a later picture, circa 1958. It is clear that G. Blair Laing was conservative in his choice. Canadian collectors were probably reticent in supporting Borduas's more recent undertakings. Most of the paintings Laing bought were from 1953, when Borduas had decided to move to New York and spent a summer in Provincetown before settling in Greenwich Village. As a matter of fact, three of the paintings purchased by Laing were painted in Provincetown: Les boucliers enchantés, Le Château de Toutânkhamon and La carrière engloutie. The other 1953 paintings were more than likely done at later date in New York. The only really recent painting was Vol vertical, a small picture in brown, pink and black, but not typical of the bold black and white of the period. Patte de velours, clearly dated 1955 on the painting, was the only one of its kind. It was most likely painted at the end of Borduas's New York stay or at the beginning of his Parisian period. Borduas left America in September of 1955 and, after some difficulty in finding a studio, proceeded to produce on a regular basis until the end of the year.
It is possible that Patte de velours was shown at a joint Riopelle and Borduas show presented at the Laing Galleries in the latter part of 1958, although Hugo McPherson, who reviewed the exhibition for Canadian Art (winter 1959), does not mention it explicitly.
What can we say about the title? In French, "patte de velours" describes the state of a cat's paws when the claws are drawn in. One could say than that its paws are as smooth as velvet to touch. In a figurative sense, "faire patte de velours" means to hide one's evil intention under a surface of affected sweetness. What is interesting here is less the moralistic overtone of the expression, than the idea of two layers: a surface and, underneath it, something completely different, even contradictory. And indeed at first the painting presents itself as a sumptuous surface, shimmering almost like mother-of-pearl, and prepares the stage for the beautiful Chatoiement, 1956, collection of Musée d'art contemporain, Montreal. Borduas has completely abandoned the dichotomy of his automatist period, between backgound and object, between receding space and the objects floating in the foreground. On the contrary, the objects now explode and fuse with the background, achieving a nice flowing motion across the entire surface of the painting. There is no doubt that he has now assimilated the overall-ness of American painting, where no focus points can be found on the surface and no clear hierarchy established between the elements. The painting gives an impression of a take on a broader phenomenon, one that could expand away from the pictorial surface. Upon a closer look at Patte de velours, however, it is apparent that some of dark spots seem to create, if not real breaks in the surface, at least some tensions that will finally rupture the even surface. They are like the cat's claws - ready to strike! Shortly afterward, Borduas would enter his Black and White period, where the black of his paintings may be read as black spots on a white background or, better yet, as ruptures on the surface opening into a black abyss. Patte de velours is a precursor of this imminent development, and that is why this superb Borduas is so important.
We thank Dr. François-Marc Gagnon for contributing the above essay.
This painting will be included in Dr. François-Marc Gagnon's forthcoming catalogue raisonné on the artist's work as catalogue #2005-0990.
Acquired by G. Blair Laing on May 15, 1958 at Borduas's studio in Paris
Acquired by the present Private Toronto Collector in 1958 from Laing Galleries, Toronto
Literature:
François-Marc Gagnon, Paul-Émile Borduas, 1978, listed page 445
Notes:
On May 15, 1958, the well-known Toronto art dealer, G. Blair Laing, visited Paul-Émile Borduas in his Paris studio. He purchased Patte de velours, 1955, along with six other paintings: Les boucliers enchantés, 1953, now at the Art Gallery of Ontario; Roses et verts, 1953; Le Château de Toutânkhamon, 1953, which belongs to a well-known Montreal collector; La carrière engloutie, 1953; Le vent dans les ailes, 1953, now in the hands of a Toronto private collector; and Vol vertical, a later picture, circa 1958. It is clear that G. Blair Laing was conservative in his choice. Canadian collectors were probably reticent in supporting Borduas's more recent undertakings. Most of the paintings Laing bought were from 1953, when Borduas had decided to move to New York and spent a summer in Provincetown before settling in Greenwich Village. As a matter of fact, three of the paintings purchased by Laing were painted in Provincetown: Les boucliers enchantés, Le Château de Toutânkhamon and La carrière engloutie. The other 1953 paintings were more than likely done at later date in New York. The only really recent painting was Vol vertical, a small picture in brown, pink and black, but not typical of the bold black and white of the period. Patte de velours, clearly dated 1955 on the painting, was the only one of its kind. It was most likely painted at the end of Borduas's New York stay or at the beginning of his Parisian period. Borduas left America in September of 1955 and, after some difficulty in finding a studio, proceeded to produce on a regular basis until the end of the year.
It is possible that Patte de velours was shown at a joint Riopelle and Borduas show presented at the Laing Galleries in the latter part of 1958, although Hugo McPherson, who reviewed the exhibition for Canadian Art (winter 1959), does not mention it explicitly.
What can we say about the title? In French, "patte de velours" describes the state of a cat's paws when the claws are drawn in. One could say than that its paws are as smooth as velvet to touch. In a figurative sense, "faire patte de velours" means to hide one's evil intention under a surface of affected sweetness. What is interesting here is less the moralistic overtone of the expression, than the idea of two layers: a surface and, underneath it, something completely different, even contradictory. And indeed at first the painting presents itself as a sumptuous surface, shimmering almost like mother-of-pearl, and prepares the stage for the beautiful Chatoiement, 1956, collection of Musée d'art contemporain, Montreal. Borduas has completely abandoned the dichotomy of his automatist period, between backgound and object, between receding space and the objects floating in the foreground. On the contrary, the objects now explode and fuse with the background, achieving a nice flowing motion across the entire surface of the painting. There is no doubt that he has now assimilated the overall-ness of American painting, where no focus points can be found on the surface and no clear hierarchy established between the elements. The painting gives an impression of a take on a broader phenomenon, one that could expand away from the pictorial surface. Upon a closer look at Patte de velours, however, it is apparent that some of dark spots seem to create, if not real breaks in the surface, at least some tensions that will finally rupture the even surface. They are like the cat's claws - ready to strike! Shortly afterward, Borduas would enter his Black and White period, where the black of his paintings may be read as black spots on a white background or, better yet, as ruptures on the surface opening into a black abyss. Patte de velours is a precursor of this imminent development, and that is why this superb Borduas is so important.
We thank Dr. François-Marc Gagnon for contributing the above essay.
This painting will be included in Dr. François-Marc Gagnon's forthcoming catalogue raisonné on the artist's work as catalogue #2005-0990.
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.