Canadian Fine Art Auction

November 23, 2015

LOT 39

Lot 39

MAURICE GALBRAITH CULLEN, R.C.A.

MAURICE GALBRAITH CULLEN, R.C.A.
Lot 39 Details
MAURICE GALBRAITH CULLEN, R.C.A.

WINTER WOODS, LAC TREMBLANT

oil on panel
signed
10.5 ins x 13.75 ins; 26.7 cms x 34.9 cms

Estimate $12,000-$18,000

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

Lot Report

Additional Images
MAURICE GALBRAITH CULLEN, R.C.A.
  • MAURICE GALBRAITH CULLEN, R.C.A.
  • MAURICE GALBRAITH CULLEN, R.C.A.
Provenance:

Joyner Fine Art Inc., Canadian Art Auction, November 1987
Private Collection, U.S.A.

Literature:

William R. Watson, Maurice Cullen, R.C.A.: A Record of Struggle and Achievements, Ryerson Press, Toronto, 1931, pages 25-31.

Barry Lord, The History of Painting in Canada: Toward a People’s Art, NC Press, Toronto, 1974, pages 110 and 114.

Note:

Maurice Cullen, known as the father of Canadian Impressionism, studied in Paris from 1887 to 1895. When he first arrived there, it was his intention to master the practice of sculpture. However, he soon realized that he preferred to express himself in paint. Cullen's impasto brushstrokes are not without traces of sculptural technique, however, as we see in Winter Woods, Lac Tremblant.

Cullen achieved a degree of success while living in Europe, but upon returning to Montreal in 1895 found the Canadian market much more difficult to penetrate. It took a number of years for his work to attract any critical or popular attention.

In 1920, Cullen realized his dream “to have a studio of my own, a shack in the mountains, an acre for a garden and every winter heavy with snow,” when he purchased a cabin at Lac Tremblant in the Laurentians. Gradually, Cullen's landscapes began to gain favour among Canadian collectors. Ultimately, he exhibited often, and with great success.

Winter Woods, Lac Tremblant is a remarkable example of the mature work that emerged from this period. Cullen preferred to work with a limited palette; rarely using more than eight colours and blending his own hues on the canvas. He has been described as an outstanding craftsman who "believed strongly in keeping the colours as separate as possible to achieve the balance between vision and subject by means of a well-defined interplay of light and dark hues.”

Cullen Inventory No. 1472

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 39
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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.