Eddy Cobiness

“To me, being an artist is in itself life’s greatest gift which is an honour and to which I am greatly thankful. For many years I have worked as an artist, enjoyed it and considered it a great privilege and duty to pass on my talent to others, artists yet unborn, dreams yet unrealized.” – Eddy Cobiness

Eddy Cobiness was born in 1933 in Warroad, Minnesota, United States and raised at the Buffalo Point Reserve, Manitoba. Cobiness served in the US Army between 1954 and 1957, where he was a Golden Gloves boxer. Largely self-taught, he enjoyed painting in watercolours in his spare time while serving in the military.

His early work involved realistic illustrations of nature and village scenes observed from his community, evolving into more abstract depictions of stylized animals and wildlife. Cobiness worked in different mediums, including oil, acrylic, ink, watercolour and coloured pencil. He took inspiration from many sources, but counted the art of celebrated Woodland artist Benjamin Chee Chee as his main influence, along with Picasso’s use of line and colour.

Cobiness was interested in depicting “the truth about the Indian people,” explaining that “people often have the wrong conception of Indian culture. They read books written by white men and often there are errors in them.”[1]

Cobiness was known for signing his work with the number 47, the number being a reference to the treaty numbers that the Canadian government assigned to Indigenous people.

The artist maintained a large studio in Buffalo Point, on the shore of Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario, but in 1974 was forced to move to Winnipeg, Manitoba due to health issues. Following complications from a broken hip surgery and diabetes, Cobiness died January 1, 1996.

Cobiness’ works have been exhibited and collected worldwide, and are notably held in the collections of Queen Elizabeth II, former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and former Manitoba Premier Edward Schreyer, as well as public collections including: Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec; Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Gatineau, Quebec; McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario; and Woodland Cultural Centre, Brantford, Ontario.

[1] Michelle Ramsay, “His Art Lives in His Soul: Inspiration Rides the Wings of Sleep” 7: Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. ed. Michelle LaVallee (Regina, Saskatchewan: MacKenzie Art Gallery, 2014), 85.

ABOUT THE AUCTION

Waddington’s is pleased to offer three works by Eddy Cobiness in our Major Fall First Nations Art auction, online from November 7 – 20, 2025.

Our major fall auction of exceptional First Nations art includes important works by Beau Dick, Jimmy John, John Cross, Norval Morrisseau, Alex Janvier, Eddy Cobiness, Allen Sapp, and Benjamin Chee Chee, as well as notable paintings, graphics, and sculpture by Daphne Odjig, Chief Henry Speck Sr., Robert Charles Davidson, William (Bill) Reid, Jacob Ezra Thomas, Randy Stiglitz, Jane Ash Poitras, and others.

Public Previews

Previews are available at our Toronto gallery:

Thursday, November 13 from 10 am to 5 pm
Friday, November 14 from 10 am to 5 pm
Saturday, November 15 from 12 pm to 4 pm
Sunday, November 16 from 12 pm to 4 pm
Monday, November 17 from 10 am to 7 pm
Tuesday, November 18 from 10 am to 5 pm
Wednesday, November 19 from 9 am to 12 pm
Or by appointment.

You must be registered to bid in this auction. Register here.

Contact us for condition reports and further information.