Lawren Stewart Harris 1885 - 1970

A gift from the artist, 1943

Thence by descent

Canadian National Exhibition, Department of Graphic Arts, year and number unknown

This painting is in overall very good condition, consistent with age, and has been examined under UV. There are two minute pinholes in the upper left corner and a small circular nick to the right in the sky. Along the left side of the panel there is light blue blanching evident (due to the evaporation of linseed oil or other suspendion medium) although the original hue - as seen in the surrounding area - would be restored with the application of varnish. There is a minor spot of paint loss in the lower left corner of the panel in the water. There are also minor losses in both the lower right and left corners, the upper left corner, and along the extreme top edge as a result of rubbing within the frame. As far as is known, this painting has not been cleaned or varnished since 1943, and it would benefit immensely from such attention. We wish to thank "In Restauro Conservart Inc." for examining this work and their original notes are available upon request. An additional condition report from
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Harris was, among his circle, the most attuned to contemporary international art movements.  The ideas of Kandinsky and of the German Expressionists, to which he was close, were important influences.  They pushed Harris toward abstraction although, like many artists of the time (Matisse, Picasso, Marc, Beckman, O'Keefe, Davis, Milne, Brooker), he could not altogether forsake natural forms as a foundation for a painting.  What he did with them, however, was unlike anything any other artist in Canada did: he chiselled them into aesthetic statements that both reflected the Canadian landscape unmistakably and also gave it a symbolic light, shape, and texture.

This oil sketch for Quiet Lake (Northern Painting 12) (in a private collection) is a powerful example of Harris's success in this.  The light flooding in from the left (it always seems to be 'west') bathes the serried clumps of stylized trees with a golden glow.  The coal-black hills provide a stark contrast and the river, or lake, is sculpted as if it were concrete.  Everything is recognizable and yet it is not.  Art may reflect nature, but it is art - a construct, an idea, or a feeling - not a copy or a representation.  Harris has given us something to meditate on, to contemplate, and to learn from.  For him, his subject was the spirit of the country, which in turn shapes the spirit of the people there. 

With his usual generosity, Harris gave this picture to a cousin as a wedding present.  They, in turn, named their daughter after him.