Lot 69
DORIS JEAN MCCARTHY, O.S.A., R.C.A.
Additional Images
Provenance:
Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, ON;
Private Collection, Toronto, ON
Note:
“Grise Fiord in Winter” was painted in the later part of McCarthy’s career following her 40-year teaching tenure from 1932-1972. McCarthy found excitement in her retirement, knowing that it was her last chance to travel and be a full-time artist. On July 5, 1972, during the summer of her retirement, McCarthy embarked on a trip to the Arctic and briefly visited Canada’s most northern settlement, Grise Fiord. She was invited back to Grise Fiord in the winter of 1976, following the death of her two beloved friends Marjorie Wood and Pearl McGinnis (Ginty). McCarthy found comfort in the Arctic icebergs during this time, describing her second flight to Grise Fiord as passing “over half a dozen captive icebergs scattered out in the bay in front of the village. To me as a painter, these were riches…”
Grise Fiord seemed to be a sacred place for McCarthy, as her two visits occurred during transitional periods of her life: a rebirth in the Spring of 1972 and a time of loss and healing in the deep winter trip of 1976. Artist Stuart Reid writes about McCarthy’s icebergs as her acknowledgement of “our ongoing battle to freeze time and to have power over the constantly shifting world.”
This painting was purchased at an exhibition the year it was painted and has been housed in a single-family collection ever since.
Literature:
Doris McCarthy, The Good Wine: An Artist Comes of Age (Macfarlane Walter & Ross,
1991), 188.
William Moore and Stuart Reid , Celebrating Life: The Art of Doris McCarthy (The McMichael Canadian Art Collection: Kleinburg, Ontario, 1999), 223.
CONDITION DETAILS
Very good condition. Please contact the specialist for further condition information.
All lots from this auction will be made available for pre-auction, in-person inspection and preview. This condition report has been prepared by Waddington’s as a courtesy and has been provided for guidance only. Each lot is offered in the condition it is in at the time of sale. Any reference to condition in the report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Waddington’s. Please note, certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot and may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot’s actual colour and shades, depending on your screen settings. Although Waddington’s takes great care in executing condition reports, Waddington’s specialists are not professional conservators or restorers and the report set forth is only a statement of opinion. For that reason this report is provided as a courtesy and is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice. Prospective buyers should bear in mind that this report will not disclose any imperfections which may only be revealed during the course of subsequent restoration. The Buyer agrees that Waddington’s will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the report. Buyers are reminded that Waddington’s warranties with respect to any property are limited as set forth in the Conditions of Sale and do not extend to condition.