Additional Images

Provenance:

Private Collection, Ontario;
Waddington's Auctioneers, Toronto, ON, 25 May 2015, lot 29, as The Indian Basket Seller;
Private Collection, Ontario

Note:

In 1853, Krieghoff relocated from Montreal to Quebec City, in search of new clients and patronage. His Quebec City period was among the most fulfilling and productive of his career. Krieghoff held a romantic view of the local Indigenous population, and returned often to the subject.

J. Russell Harper writes that Krieghoff painted numerous single-figure portraits, noting: “Women in black hats wander up hills laden with great festoons of baskets or carry cradle boards as they pick their way through craggy mounds of ice cakes crossing the St. Lawrence in front of the city. They are reminiscent of the women in Montreal streets, but are infinitely more appealing as a result of increased details and unsurpassed craftsmanship.”

Krieghoff’s portraits of women vendors selling traditional crafts was a particular favourite of the artist. Dennis Reid explains: “As common as the Native hunter is the Native woman with baskets, moccasins, or other women's work for sale, travelling to town in the summer, or winter...”.

References:
J. Russell Harper, Krieghoff, Key Porter Books, Toronto, 1999, page 126, Fig. 116 for a very similar work entitled The Indian Woman Basket Seller, reproduced in colour.
Dennis Reid, Krieghoff Images of Canada, (Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre) 1999, page 82.