Latest news with #LawrenHarris
Globe and Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Unusual Lawren Harris painting showing in Nova Scotia to mark William Davis centenary
An unusual Canadian painting has made a sentimental journey to Cape Breton this spring, 100 years after the dramatic events that inspired it. Miners' Houses, Glace Bay, painted by Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris during the bitter 1925 miners' strike, is showing at the Eltuek Arts Centre, an artist-run cultural centre and gallery in Sydney, N.S., down the road from the mines. The painting is important to both Nova Scotia labour history and Canadian art history. It represents the last time Harris, renowned for his northern landscapes, painted an urban industrial scene. The Sydney exhibition is timed to the centenary of Davis Day, Nova Scotia's commemoration of miners who have died on the job. The day, marked annually on June 11 since 1925, is named for William Davis, a Cape Breton miner shot by company police during the strike. Miners' Houses has never before been shown in Cape Breton, but was exhibited in Halifax in 2004. It is now in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, which has lent it to the Eltuek for the occasion. Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond explores Indigenous masks that inspired Paris Surrealists When Harris visited Nova Scotia that spring, as part of relief efforts for the strikers organized as far away as Toronto, the miners had dug in, 'standing the gaff,' after the management of the British Imperial Steel Corporation threatened them with starvation. The artist had visited Nova Scotia in 1921 and been appalled by the poverty he saw in Halifax, where he had painted two views of wood-frame tenements. In 1925, he was equally shocked by the miners' working and living conditions in Glace Bay, and published an uncharacteristically illustrative drawing of an emaciated miner's wife and her children in Canadian Forum that summer. Strikes were rampant in the 1920s in the Cape Breton coalfields. Poorly paid for dangerous work, the unionized miners were captives of an employer who owned their houses and the local store. Davis's death occurred during a riot at Waterford Lake, where the striking workers had at one point seized the power plant that controlled the pumps that kept the mines from flooding. When the company retook the plant on June 11, it cut off the miners' electricity and water in retaliation. The miners marched to the power plant demanding the restoration of the utilities, and were met by company police on horseback who shot into the crowd, killing Davis. Unsung art dealer Berthe Weill, the first to sell a Picasso, finally gets her due His death became a rallying cry for better working conditions in Nova Scotia, and miners traditionally never worked on June 11 ever after. The last underground mine closed in 2001, and the province recognized the commemoration day officially in 2008. Harris had left Nova Scotia by the time of the riot, and though it would be tempting to say his painting is returning home, it is unclear whether he started the work in Glace Bay or, more likely, just sketched there and completed the painting in his Toronto studio. Warsaw's new museum of contemporary art offers a stark white contrast to the city's troubled history More abstracted than the Halifax tenements of 1921, the work comes from a period when Harris had all but ceased painting urban scenes. It presents a dour, rugged and geometricized view of the miners' housing. No people are in sight, but the houses stand in a row like a line of oppressed workers. They have also been compared to coffins. Only a ray of sunshine appearing in a small gap in moody clouds gives any sense of hope. Earlier in his career, Harris had often painted pleasant Ontario street scenes and also the slums of The Ward in Toronto, but by this point he had already travelled to Lake Superior and was increasingly only interested in the drama of landscapes. Miners' Houses, his final industrial scene, was also one of the last times he painted houses of any kind as he moved west and concentrated on views of the Rockies and the Arctic. The painting is being shown at the Eltuek Arts Centre until June 28 – alongside a billy club found in the woods after the 1925 strike.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Group of Seven Shatters Records at Heffel's Landmark All-Canadian Auction
Heffel's watershed all-Canadian auction achieves $22M and shatters records for major artists Group of Seven masterpieces from University Club of Toronto collection dominate sale Multiple auction records smashed, including Franklin Carmichael, Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson and Daphne Odjig TORONTO, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Heffel Fine Art Auction House is honoured to celebrate the success of its record-breaking Spring live auction, a watershed evening dedicated exclusively to Canadian masterworks. The all-Canadian sale, held in Heffel's Toronto saleroom, brought together collectors from across the country and around the globe, united in their pursuit of Canada's most legendary artists. It was an electric night for the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, whose major paintings shattered records and contributed to the evening's overall total of $22 million. As the leader in Canada's market and ranked among the top auction houses in the world globally, Heffel is proud to champion the nation's cultural icons on the international stage. The auction was led by three historic Group of Seven canvases by Lawren Harris, Franklin Carmichael and Arthur Lismer, consigned from the storied University Club of Toronto. These exceptional paintings by Canada's first national art movement—steeped in institutional history and national pride—anchored a night of landmark results and celebrated a vital chapter in Canada's cultural history. (All prices are in Canadian dollars and include a buyer's premium.) "Tonight was a true celebration of Canada," said Robert Heffel, Vice President of Heffel. "To see such exceptional works by our country's iconic artists resonate so deeply with collectors is incredibly rewarding. It's an honour for our team to help steward these national treasures into their next chapters." Highlights from the Heffel Spring 2025 Live Auction A landmark canvas by Lawren Harris led the evening, drawing serious interest from collectors. Northern Lake, a 1926 masterpiece from the University Club of Toronto collection, realized $3,121,250. The historic painting of international acclaim, awarded a gold medal at the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and exhibited at the Musée du Jeu de Paume in Paris, is a defining example of Harris's celebrated vision and mastery (est. $2,000,000 – 3,000,000). Leaf Pattern, the dazzling 1922 canvas by Franklin Carmichael shattered both its presale estimate and the artist's auction record and sold for $2,281,250 at the Heffel sale (est. $700,000 – 900,000). Also consigned from the University Club of Toronto, widely published and exhibited extensively throughout its lifetime, this stunning canvas truly captivated collectors. McGregor Bay Islands by Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer achieved an exceptional price of $1,621,250, setting an auction record for the artist and marking Lismer's entry first entry into the million-dollar club. Widely exhibited and long held at the University Club of Toronto, the stunning canvas stands as one of Lismer's most important works and a quintessential example of the Group of Seven's vision (est. $600,000 – $800,000). A.Y. Jackson's phenomenal Night on the Skeena River set a deserving new auction record for the artist, soaring to $1,081,250 (est. $800,000 – $1,000,000). Painted during his pivotal Group of Seven years, the dramatic canvas is widely considered one of the finest canvases ever painted by the artist. Tom Thomson's rare and coveted oil sketches continue to be among the most sought-after works in Canadian art. Three outstanding paintings each surpassed $1 million, showcasing his most iconic subjects and locations; Autumn, Algonquin Park sold for $1,201,250, Canoe Lake, Algonquin Park for $1,051,250 and Dawn on Round Lake (Kawawaymog Lake) for $1,021,250. Important works by Emily Carr realized strong prices in the Heffel auction, including her dynamic seascape canvas Shoreline, which sold for $901,250 (est. $750,000 – 850,000) and British Columbia Forest for $541,250 (est. $250,000 – 350,000), reaffirming the artist's enduring global appeal. Heffel continues to champion Carr's incredible legacy and unmatched place in Canadian art history. Carr's masterworks, together with works by Lawren Harris and other Canadian greats, are on view in the global touring exhibition Northern Lights, currently on at Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, before opening at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, New York. Daphne Odjig's beautiful Awakening of Spring set a new auction record for the artist and sold for $133,250. The powerful and distinctive canvas exemplifies Odjig's ability to blend traditional themes with contemporary expression, solidifying her status as a pivotal figure in Canadian art (est. $50,000 – 70,000). For more information on the works included in Heffel's spring live auction, visit Heffel is now welcoming consignments for the fall 2025 auction season. The deadline for fall consignments is August 2025. About Heffel Fine Art Auction HouseSince 1978, Heffel has connected passionate collectors across the world with outstanding works of art, with sales of more than $1 billion. Heffel is renowned for its expertise in effectively managing and handling the sale of works from estates, institutional collections, corporate collections and private collections, serving as trusted experts for navigating the complexities of art collections with precision and care. Notable results include the 2016 sale of Lawren Harris' Mountain Forms for $11,210,000– the record for any Canadian artwork ever sold at auction – as well as Jean Paul Riopelle's Vent du nord for $7,438,750 in 2017. With galleries and support facilities in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, Heffel has the most experienced team of specialists in Canada and provides premium client service to both sellers and buyers internationally. SOURCE Heffel Fine Art Auction House View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Group of Seven Shatters Records at Heffel's Landmark All-Canadian Auction
Heffel's watershed all-Canadian auction achieves $22M and shatters records for major artists Group of Seven masterpieces from University Club of Toronto collection dominate sale Multiple auction records smashed, including Franklin Carmichael, Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson and Daphne Odjig TORONTO, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Heffel Fine Art Auction House is honoured to celebrate the success of its record-breaking Spring live auction, a watershed evening dedicated exclusively to Canadian masterworks. The all-Canadian sale, held in Heffel's Toronto saleroom, brought together collectors from across the country and around the globe, united in their pursuit of Canada's most legendary artists. It was an electric night for the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, whose major paintings shattered records and contributed to the evening's overall total of $22 million. As the leader in Canada's market and ranked among the top auction houses in the world globally, Heffel is proud to champion the nation's cultural icons on the international stage. The auction was led by three historic Group of Seven canvases by Lawren Harris, Franklin Carmichael and Arthur Lismer, consigned from the storied University Club of Toronto. These exceptional paintings by Canada's first national art movement—steeped in institutional history and national pride—anchored a night of landmark results and celebrated a vital chapter in Canada's cultural history. (All prices are in Canadian dollars and include a buyer's premium.) "Tonight was a true celebration of Canada," said Robert Heffel, Vice President of Heffel. "To see such exceptional works by our country's iconic artists resonate so deeply with collectors is incredibly rewarding. It's an honour for our team to help steward these national treasures into their next chapters." Highlights from the Heffel Spring 2025 Live Auction A landmark canvas by Lawren Harris led the evening, drawing serious interest from collectors. Northern Lake, a 1926 masterpiece from the University Club of Toronto collection, realized $3,121,250. The historic painting of international acclaim, awarded a gold medal at the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and exhibited at the Musée du Jeu de Paume in Paris, is a defining example of Harris's celebrated vision and mastery (est. $2,000,000 – 3,000,000). Leaf Pattern, the dazzling 1922 canvas by Franklin Carmichael shattered both its presale estimate and the artist's auction record and sold for $2,281,250 at the Heffel sale (est. $700,000 – 900,000). Also consigned from the University Club of Toronto, widely published and exhibited extensively throughout its lifetime, this stunning canvas truly captivated collectors. McGregor Bay Islands by Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer achieved an exceptional price of $1,621,250, setting an auction record for the artist and marking Lismer's entry first entry into the million-dollar club. Widely exhibited and long held at the University Club of Toronto, the stunning canvas stands as one of Lismer's most important works and a quintessential example of the Group of Seven's vision (est. $600,000 – $800,000). A.Y. Jackson's phenomenal Night on the Skeena River set a deserving new auction record for the artist, soaring to $1,081,250 (est. $800,000 – $1,000,000). Painted during his pivotal Group of Seven years, the dramatic canvas is widely considered one of the finest canvases ever painted by the artist. Tom Thomson's rare and coveted oil sketches continue to be among the most sought-after works in Canadian art. Three outstanding paintings each surpassed $1 million, showcasing his most iconic subjects and locations; Autumn, Algonquin Park sold for $1,201,250, Canoe Lake, Algonquin Park for $1,051,250 and Dawn on Round Lake (Kawawaymog Lake) for $1,021,250. Important works by Emily Carr realized strong prices in the Heffel auction, including her dynamic seascape canvas Shoreline, which sold for $901,250 (est. $750,000 – 850,000) and British Columbia Forest for $541,250 (est. $250,000 – 350,000), reaffirming the artist's enduring global appeal. Heffel continues to champion Carr's incredible legacy and unmatched place in Canadian art history. Carr's masterworks, together with works by Lawren Harris and other Canadian greats, are on view in the global touring exhibition Northern Lights, currently on at Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, before opening at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, New York. Daphne Odjig's beautiful Awakening of Spring set a new auction record for the artist and sold for $133,250. The powerful and distinctive canvas exemplifies Odjig's ability to blend traditional themes with contemporary expression, solidifying her status as a pivotal figure in Canadian art (est. $50,000 – 70,000). For more information on the works included in Heffel's spring live auction, visit Heffel is now welcoming consignments for the fall 2025 auction season. The deadline for fall consignments is August 2025. About Heffel Fine Art Auction HouseSince 1978, Heffel has connected passionate collectors across the world with outstanding works of art, with sales of more than $1 billion. Heffel is renowned for its expertise in effectively managing and handling the sale of works from estates, institutional collections, corporate collections and private collections, serving as trusted experts for navigating the complexities of art collections with precision and care. Notable results include the 2016 sale of Lawren Harris' Mountain Forms for $11,210,000– the record for any Canadian artwork ever sold at auction – as well as Jean Paul Riopelle's Vent du nord for $7,438,750 in 2017. With galleries and support facilities in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, Heffel has the most experienced team of specialists in Canada and provides premium client service to both sellers and buyers internationally. SOURCE Heffel Fine Art Auction House View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
08-05-2025
- CBC
Group of Seven painting 'comes home' to Cape Breton in recognition of miners' struggle
A 100-year-old painting by Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris is on exhibition now in Sydney, N.S., just in time for the anniversary of the event that led to the killing of coal miner William Davis. The famous painting is called Miners' Houses, Glace Bay and the exhibition's official opening was May 2 at the Eltuek Arts Centre. Melissa Kearney, the centre's artistic director, told Information Morning Cape Breton she was awestruck when she first saw the piece at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2016. "[My] first instinct was everybody back home has to see this painting, because it so quite literally stops you in your tracks in its significance of this place and our history and the images, the symbolism, the icon of company houses and it being on the edge. Everything from the lighting to the homes themselves just screams Cape Breton Island." Miners' Houses, Glace Bay is on loan from the Art Gallery of Ontario until June 28. It's got its own exhibition space in the centre, which is a refurbished convent that dates back to 1885. Kearney said the painting represents Harris's final depiction of an urban industrial scene before his shift to northern landscapes. Harris was in Cape Breton reporting for the Toronto Star newspaper during a lengthy coal miners' strike in 1925 and was inspired to start the painting here, before returning to his studio in Toronto to finish it. "In his career, [Harris] felt so bent and moved by what he saw that I think that was a breaking point for him as an artist and so [it is an] extremely significant painting for Canadians and especially for us," Kearney said. After Harris left but before the strike was over, miner William Davis was shot and killed by mining company police. The event is recognized across the province every June 11 as William Davis Miners' Memorial Day. Kearney, whose grandfathers and great-grandfathers were miners, said the painting evokes a number of themes. She said the houses can, at first glance, appear to be gravestones on the edge of a cliff, a sight that's not uncommon on Cape Breton Island. She said it's also reminiscent of the old coal mining life. The painting is devoid of people, but Kearney said she assumes they are all working, either in the homes or in the mines underground. Kevin Edwards, a member of the Men of the Deeps coal miners' choir and a former miner himself, saw the painting for the first time at the opening and said he was amazed. He said one of the choir's goals is to maintain the history and culture of those who worked underground — the life-and-death struggles of the industrial way of life — and the painting serves a similar purpose. "For me, it has a very eerie, subtle feel to it, knowing the background and the history of it. It means so much not only to the coal mining industry, but to the labour movement and basically human rights," Edwards said. "That single event back in 1925, Bill Davis and others were injured or killed and maimed … and it meant so much, but they had the courage and the strength to go and to stand up against the police and the hired goons … and it's very, very meaningful." Lachlan MacKinnon, a history professor at Cape Breton University, said the painting helps tell the story of the coal miners' strike and Davis's death and the impact on the labour movement. "That was a really important moment in our island's history, because of the way that local workers, local coal miners and their families came together to challenge the ways that they were being exploited by their employer at the time," he said. The painting may appear bleak to some, but it portrays much more and still resonates, even though the coal mines closed in 2001, MacKinnon said. "In a sense, you see the kind of the starkness of the moment. It evokes that sense of poverty, of exploitation, of sort of living on the edge in a way, which certainly the coal communities in the 1920s were," he said. "On the other hand, I think that there's something that evokes solidarity. The images of the houses, their similarities one with one another, the way that they're crowded together and sort of the vibrant colours, I think evokes sort of a sense of togetherness, of drawing close and sort of resiliency, which I think resounds quite well in a place like Cape Breton, where those values and those ideas continued long after 1925 and indeed after the closure of the mines altogether."
CBC
06-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Iconic painting back home in Cape Breton
Miners' Houses, Glace Bay was painted in 1925 during the coal miners' strike by Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris. It's back on the island to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Davis Day. Kyle Moore has the story.
