Picking Pears in Barbizon (The Pear Orchard), 1882
74.9 cms x 149.9 cms (29.5 ins x 59 ins)
Signed and dated 1882 lower left
made in 1882
Lot offered for sale by Cowley Abbott, Toronto at the auction event "An Important Private Collection of Canadian Art (Session 2)" held on Thu, Jun 8, 2023.
Lot 42527
Lot 42527
Estimate: CAD $70,000 - $90,000
Realised: CAD $264,000
Realised: CAD $264,000
Lot description - from the online catalogue*
Provenance:
Sotheby’s, auction, Toronto, 2 October 1974, lot 14
G. Blair Laing Ltd., Toronto
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth R. Thomson, Toronto
A.K. Prakash & Associates, Inc., Toronto
Acquired by the present Private Collection, August 2005
Exhibitions:
Royal Academy, London, 1883, no. 1476
"Autumn Exhibition", Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 1883, no. 360
"Forging the Path: The Forerunners (1870-1920)", McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, 2 October 2010‒30 January 2011 as "Picking Pears, Giverny"
"Into the Light: The Paintings of William Blair Bruce (1859-1906)", Art Gallery of Hamilton; traveling to Owens Art Gallery, Sackville, 24 May 2014-5 April 2015, no. 11
Embracing Canada: Landscapes from Krieghoff to the Group of Seven, Vancouver Art Gallery; traveling to Glenbow Museum, Calgary; Art Gallery of Hamilton, 29 October 2015‒25 September 2016
"Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons 1880‒1930", National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; travelling to Kunsthalle der Hypo‒ Kulturstiftung, Munich; Fondation de l’Hermitage, Lausanne; Musée Fabre, Montpellier, 19 July 2019‒3 July 2021, no. 2 as "Picking Pears in Barbizon (The Pear Orchard)", 1882
Literature:
Joan Murray, ed., "Letters Home 1859-1906: The Letters of William Blair Bruce", Moonbeam, Ontario, 1982
Katerina Atanassova, "Forging the Path: The Forerunners (1870-1920)", Kleinburg, 2010, reproduced page 5 as "Picking Pears, Giverny"
Tobi Bruce, ed., "Into the Light: The Paintings of William Blair Bruce (1859-1906)", Art Gallery of Hamilton, 2014, pages 70‒71, reproduced page 53
A.K. Prakash, "Impressionism in Canada: A Journey of Rediscovery", Stuttgart, 2015, plate 7.1
Ian Thom, ed., "Embracing Canada: Landscapes from Krieghoff to the Group of Seven", Vancouver/London, 2015, page 60, reproduced page 64
Katerina Atanassova, "Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons, 1880- 1930", Ottawa, 2019, no. 2, pages 236, 248, reproduced page 143
Notes:
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, his father an astronomer, did illuminated manuscripts. While his father’s work might have influenced him considerably he did not begin formal art training until he had attended the Hamilton Central School and the Hamilton Collegiate Institute and had spent some time at law study. He left the latter to begin work in an architect’s office as a draftsman and took classes in art in the evenings.
Sotheby’s, auction, Toronto, 2 October 1974, lot 14
G. Blair Laing Ltd., Toronto
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth R. Thomson, Toronto
A.K. Prakash & Associates, Inc., Toronto
Acquired by the present Private Collection, August 2005
Exhibitions:
Royal Academy, London, 1883, no. 1476
"Autumn Exhibition", Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 1883, no. 360
"Forging the Path: The Forerunners (1870-1920)", McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, 2 October 2010‒30 January 2011 as "Picking Pears, Giverny"
"Into the Light: The Paintings of William Blair Bruce (1859-1906)", Art Gallery of Hamilton; traveling to Owens Art Gallery, Sackville, 24 May 2014-5 April 2015, no. 11
Embracing Canada: Landscapes from Krieghoff to the Group of Seven, Vancouver Art Gallery; traveling to Glenbow Museum, Calgary; Art Gallery of Hamilton, 29 October 2015‒25 September 2016
"Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons 1880‒1930", National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; travelling to Kunsthalle der Hypo‒ Kulturstiftung, Munich; Fondation de l’Hermitage, Lausanne; Musée Fabre, Montpellier, 19 July 2019‒3 July 2021, no. 2 as "Picking Pears in Barbizon (The Pear Orchard)", 1882
Literature:
Joan Murray, ed., "Letters Home 1859-1906: The Letters of William Blair Bruce", Moonbeam, Ontario, 1982
Katerina Atanassova, "Forging the Path: The Forerunners (1870-1920)", Kleinburg, 2010, reproduced page 5 as "Picking Pears, Giverny"
Tobi Bruce, ed., "Into the Light: The Paintings of William Blair Bruce (1859-1906)", Art Gallery of Hamilton, 2014, pages 70‒71, reproduced page 53
A.K. Prakash, "Impressionism in Canada: A Journey of Rediscovery", Stuttgart, 2015, plate 7.1
Ian Thom, ed., "Embracing Canada: Landscapes from Krieghoff to the Group of Seven", Vancouver/London, 2015, page 60, reproduced page 64
Katerina Atanassova, "Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons, 1880- 1930", Ottawa, 2019, no. 2, pages 236, 248, reproduced page 143
Notes:
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, his father an astronomer, did illuminated manuscripts. While his father’s work might have influenced him considerably he did not begin formal art training until he had attended the Hamilton Central School and the Hamilton Collegiate Institute and had spent some time at law study. He left the latter to begin work in an architect’s office as a draftsman and took classes in art in the evenings.
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 Cowley Abbott auction house for permission to use.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Cowley Abbott auction house for permission to use.