Alexander Young Jackson 1882 - 1974

Private Collection, Toronto

Marius Barbeau, The Downfall of Temlaham, Toronto, 1928, opposite p. 86, illustrated in colour

A.Y. Jackson, A Painter's Country, The Autobiography of A.Y. Jackson, Toronto, 1958, p. 92

 

This painting has been viewed under UV and it is in pristine condition. Heavy varnish. We would like to thank "In Restauro Conservart Inc." for examing this painting and their original notes are available upon request to Sotheby's.
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.
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In 1926, Jackson and Holgate went to the Upper Skeena River as guests of Marius Barbeau. Their intention was to paint and record for Canada and the CNR what they thought were the last portraits of the First Nations people with their totem poles set against the northwest landscape.

Jackson stayed at Port Essington and other locations on the Skeena River, a waterway which was both dangerous and cold. At one time, the Skeena was the main water highway from the ocean to the interior and many First Nations villages were scattered along the banks. Jackson wrote about finding the remains of a village that had almost disappeared into the jungles of Canada:

We had axes and machetes, yet it took us an hour to go a hundred yards; nettles, thimbleberry bushes eight feet high and skunk cabbage, made the bush almost impenetrable. The totem poles had fallen to the ground and in the dank woods had almost disintegrated.

Jackson made many drawings and some sketches here and worked up a few into canvases. As a result of the Skeena trip, Barbeau wrote The Downfall of Temlaham. Subsequently, a strong interest in West Coast native art was created and was the subject of an exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada in 1927.  It was this important show that introduced the work of Emily Carr to eastern Canadians.