Jean Albert McEwen 1923 - 1999

Private Collection, Quebec

This painting 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.
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McEwen first exhibited monochromatic paintings in the mid 1950s, before he decided on an abstract style of painting with a "spine" running vertically through the work basically bisecting it.

By 1972, the year of Laque d'un Pays Vaste #8, the painting is no longer about structure but about entrapped light; light that is snared in the various glazes which go to make up the painting's optical surface.  The rich colour of the surface of these paintings comes from superimposed layers of varnish and pigment which he either brushed on or used a palette knife to apply.

The colouring is particularly striking in this work with the creamy carmel floating to the surface like the swirling motion made stirring a pot of toffee.  Just buried beneath the surface are all kinds of shards of opalescent colour.

The strong luminosity seen in the work extends to crowd up the four sides of the "framing" device he has blended into the composition.