A Painting of a Painting

If you look closely at this still life painting by Doris Huestis Mills Speirs in our February Discovery Art auction, you’ll discover that she has cleverly included two artworks by fellow artists.

Painted in 1933, Speirs notes that “The sketch on the wall is by J.E.H. MacDonald and is in my collection, as is the little box painted by Thoreau MacDonald.” The still life highlights both her skill as a painter in her own right, as well as her role as collector and connoisseur, thus elevating this work into a self-portrait of sorts.

Speirs was an active participant in Canada’s early modern art scene as both an artist and a patron. A self-taught painter, she exhibited in the 1920s and 1930s alongside members of the Group of Seven and the Canadian Group of Painters, working primarily in landscape at a moment when Canadian modernism was still taking shape.

Equally significant was her role as a collector and advocate: she supported living artists, acquired works directly from studios and galleries, and was among the earliest Canadians to collect international modern art, including a landmark early purchase of a painting by Georgia O’Keeffe. Through her collecting, lending, and advocacy, Speirs helped broaden public exposure to modern art in Canada and fostered a more adventurous, forward-looking artistic culture.

We invite you to take a closer look at this work, as well as browse the rest of the Discovery Art auction.

about the auction

Our February Discovery Art auction features prints, paintings, drawings, sculptures, and works on paper, by notable artists including Edith G. Coombs, Manly Macdonald, Albert Hirschfeld, Tom Roberts, Frederic M. Bell-Smith, David Morrisseau, Ralph W. Burton, Douglas H. Haynes, Albert J. Franck, Daniel Hughes, Michael O’Toole, Molly Lamb Bobak, Doris H. Mills, John D. Lawley, Frank Iacurto, Elizabeth A. M. Knowles, Wilfred Withrow, Arthur Lismer, Lawrence A.C. Panton, Armand Tatossian, and William J. Hopkinson.

On View:
 Sunday, February 1 from 12 pm to 4 pm
 Monday, February 2 from 10 am to 5 pm
 Tuesday, February 3 from 10 am to 5 pm

This auction begins to close February 5, 2026 at 2 pm ET.

Contact us for more information.