James Edward Hervey MacDonald 1873 - 1932

Private Collection, Washington, DC

Private Collection, Toronto

This work has been viewed under UV and it is in good condition. The lower left corner was previously broken and/or bent, touched up along the crease only. The right corner touched up in a triangular form with base ½ in. and vertical 1 ½ in. There are touch ups in the water and minor touch ups in the dark portion of the sky. There is a triangular loss of approximately ¼ in. in the upper left corner. Minute loss in the upper right corner. 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.
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.

By 1912, J.E.H. MacDonald had given up his position as a leading designer to devote more time to painting as a profession. He had no formal art training apart from some night classes in Hamilton and Toronto yet between his commercial design and lettering, he produced monumental paintings such as The Solemn Land and Autumn in Algoma. Although he travelled across the country to source inspiration for his work, Lake Simcoe provided an easy weekend commute from his Thornhill home and the landscape here enthralled him.

MacDonald was very sensitive to the impact that the Canadian landscape had upon his art, and his person, and held the conviction that Canadian artists must paint Canada in a manner expressive of its physical and psychological uniqueness.

The vast distances, largeness of nature, the clear atmosphere and light, the brilliant colour and the relationship between land, water and sky were not only physical phenomena which challenged the artist, but also possessed a psychological impact which he believed the sensitive person could not ignore. The discovery, analysis and interpretation of these elements became the focal point of MacDonald's art.

Among members of the Group, MacDonald was particularly willing to articulate his pantheistic position and Sunset, Lake Simcoe is a clear statement. The title of this work undermines the drama that unfolds as a two-man canoe is dwarfed by this magnificent and overwhelming sky. He displays his sensitivity to atmospheric light with broad bands of rich and dark colour stretching horizontally across the lake with a light that is sharp and clear.

It was extremely rare for members of the Group to include figures in their small sketches outside of their urban scenes. Perhaps they were interested in portraying the Canadian wilderness as pristine and untouched, but in scenes like this one the Group is capable of imagining a blissfully symbiotic relationship between the natural world and humanity.