Canadian Fine Art Auction

May 26, 2014

LOT 72

Lot 72

JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE, R.C.A.

JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE, R.C.A.
Lot 72 Details
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE, R.C.A.

QUEBEC CITY

oil on masonite
signed
22 ins x 29 ins; 55.9 cms x 73.7 cms

Estimate $15,000-$20,000

Realised: $20,060
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Provenance:

Charles Bronfman’s Claridge Collection, Montreal

Note:

Reminiscent of British painter L.S. Lowry’s teeming crowds of “stick people figures” all going about their business in the bustling urban scenes, Little captured moments of Montreal and Quebec City at a time when much of it was being demolished by city-wide building projects. He celebrated the urban core and ethnic communities of the city centre. Depictions like Quebec City, brought Little early acclaim in his career. The busy, communal city is lifted by bright punches of colour with painted storefronts and gleaming sleds.

Dorothy Pfeiffer, reviewing his work in 1964, noted, "Those bemoaning the seemingly ruthless demolition of hundreds of Montreal’s gracious old-world homes and other buildings, the disappearance in the name of progress of various little nooks and parks... will gain nostalgic pleasures from John Little’s show, for he had dedicated his painting to the preservation of such items for posterity. ...Three important qualities it certainly contains: assurance, individuality and artistic honesty."

Sold to benefit Historica Canada.

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 72
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.