Marc-Aurèle Fortin 1888 - 1970

Private Collection, Quebec

This work is in excellent condition with no apparent issues under UV. It would benefit from a light cleaning.
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.

Fortin started painting in oils when he was twenty and lived in Sainte Rose, a village north of Montreal.  The landscape there inspired him throughout his life; whether it was the distinctive mansard houses, the giant elm trees, or the fields and fences of the farms in the surrounding country, it would be difficult to say.  Perhaps they each did and they all did.

The technique that Fortin developed, largely on his own, is used here with exceptional force.  The black outlining of the tree and the houses gives the whole composition a kind of stained glass look, especially when he has used such vivid colours in such bold and broad brushstrokes.