Frederick Simpson Coburn 1871 - 1960

Collection of Bowater Incorporated

This work has been viewed under UV and it is in pristine condition.
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.

The four Coburn paintings in this sale are all outstanding examples of this artist's work. While the theme of winter wood-cutting and hauling is common to each of them, as it was to most of Coburn's output, these particular canvases are large, varied and impressive. The depiction of oxen in lot 49 is a rarity, as is the appearance of something like the red cariole in lot 48.

 

Coburn was an excellent illustrator, and contributed to the books of poetry by William Drummond. What lured him along his artistic path, however, was his determination to apply the concepts of the Impressionists to the landscape and atmosphere of the Canadian winter. In doing this, he was following the example of his friend, mentor, and fellow artist, Maurice Cullen, who also excelled in painting the winter landscapes of the Laurentians.

 

These paintings, therefore, are less about their obvious subjects – the rural folk travelling the winter roads in their sleighs and carioles, the woodsman loading and transporting the full cord of logs from forest to farm – than they are about the light on the snow, the shadows in the bush, the clouds in the sky, the striking attitude of the animals, and the muted colours of a winter morning. As viewers, we receive the benefit of both the charm of the rural community that Coburn knew so well, and the exceptionally sharp treatment of the surrounding countryside, with its hills, forests, farms, and roads. In Coburn's paintings we see impressionism brought to life in the Canadian context.