Description:

James Wilson Morrice, RCA (1865-1924), Canadian
NUDE, CA. 1896
oil on canvas
estate stamp verso; inscribed "from the studio of J.W. Morrice" to stretcher; incorrectly titled and dated to gallery and exhibition labels verso

Estimate: $40,000—60,000 CAD

    Provenance:
  • Artist's studio
    William Scott & Sons, Montreal, QC
    Continental Galleries of Fine Art, Montreal, QC
    Mrs. Howard W. Pillow, Montreal, QC
    Mrs. A. Murray Vaughan, St. Andrews, NB
    Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB
    Deaccessioned to benefit art purchases at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery

  • Dimensions:
  • 13.75 x 10.5 in — 34.9 x 26.7 cm
  • Artist Name:
  • James Wilson Morrice, RCA (1865-1924)
  • Exhibited:
  • W. Scott & Sons, "J.W. Morrice", 1939, Montreal, QC
    Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, "Seventy-Fourth Annual Exhibition" ("Memorial section: Drawings and Paintings by J.W. Morrice, RCA, 1864-1924"), 27 Nov 1953 - 10 Jan 1954, Toronto, ON.
    National Gallery of Canada, "James Wilson Morrice, 1865-1924" 30 May - 29 Jun 1968 (toured) as In Trinidad, Ottawa, ON.

  • Literature:
  • This painting will be included in Lucie Dorais's forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist’s work.

    Lucie Dorais, James Wilson Morrice, Peintre Canadian (1865-1924): Les Années de Formation. (M.A. Thesis) Université de Montréal, August, 1980, 181 (repro. #84 as "Nu de dos").
    Donald W. Buchanan, James Wilson Morrice: A Biography. (Toronto: The Ryerson Press) 1936, 22-23.
    The Beaverbrook Art Gallery Quarterly. September, 1987, no. 37, 1 volume (unpaginated).
    St. George Burgoyne, Phases of Art of J. W. Morrice on view at Scott's Galleries: French Subjects, Wartime Scenes and Landscapes done in Trinidad among items in varied Collections. The Gazette (Montreal), 28 Jan 1939, 5.
    Principal Acquisitions of Canadian Museums and Galleries, RACAR. XV:2 (1988), 186 (repro. fig. 123).

  • Medium:
  • oil on canvas
  • Notes:
  • This quiet and intimate moment captured by James Wilson Morrice circa 1896 of an unidentified young woman seated among verdant foliage is a rare and early example of a nude by the artist.

    Best known for his landscapes, Morrice’s interest in the human form developed only after his move to Europe around 1891, and while portraits in the broadest sense account for approximately ten percent of his output[1], only a small number of these are nudes.

    Nude, ca. 1896, was painted at a time full of creativity and exploration for Morrice. Between 1892 and 1897 he studied at the Académie Julian in Paris, and in 1895 he befriended American artists Robert Henri and William Glackens, whose influence may be seen in the uncharacteristic daringness of the composition for the notoriously reserved Morrice.

    A similar work, Girls Head Amid Leaves, ca. 1896, in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Art (974.31), appears more quickly painted and the female form is not the focus – instead the model’s face peeks from behind the leaves. Only one other nude in a landscape by Morrice is known. Also dated ca. 1896, Nude in Landscape (Private Collection), shows the sitter in partial profile sitting on a red cushion or blanket, and like Nude, is facing away from the viewer. Donning a similar loose bun, the sitter could conceivably be the same model. With Nude, we feel as though we have stumbled upon a private contemplation, and by painting his model from the back view, Morrice’s painting maintains a reserved and modest sensuality.

    The painting was incorrectly titled In Trinidad in the 1940s by the Continental Galleries. Morrice visited Trinidad only once in 1921.

    Thank you to Lucie Dorais for contributing information that was included in the essay.

    [1] Lucie Dorais, "Morrice and the Human Figure", in Nicole Cloutier, James Wilson Morrice 1865‒1924, 62
  • Condition:
  • Good overall condition.
    Surface scratch to lower left quadrant, darkening of canvas with age.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Shipping

The Auctioneers will not undertake packing or shipping. The purchaser must designate and arrange for the services of an independent shipper and be responsible for all shipping and insurance expenses. The Auctioneers will, upon request, provide names of professional packers and shippers but will not be held responsible for the service or have any liability for providing this information. Reliable pre-auction estimates of shipping costs of lots offered in this sale may be obtained from:

PICK UP & SHIPPING FROM TORONTO:

When contacting the shippers please have your invoice # and item information ready.

PakShip
Attn: Taurus Chan
Tel: 905.470.6874
416.293.8225
Fax: 905.470.6875
[email protected]
www.pakship.ca

Safer Shipping
Attn: Perry Hehn
Tel: 416.299.3367
Fax: 416.299.9750
[email protected]
www.safershipping.ca

PICK UP & SHIPPING FROM VANCOUVER:

Please note that lots in our Waddington's West auctions are located in Vancouver, B.C. When contacting the shippers please have your invoice # and item information ready.

The UPS Store 424
Tel: 604-559-5446
[email protected]

PakMail
Tel: 604-472-6245
[email protected]
www.pakmailcanada.com

CITES WARNING:
Restrictions exist regarding the import and export of species protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). This includes but is not limited to items made of or containing bone (whalebone etc.), ivory, tortoise shell, seal skin, rhinoceros horn and any other animal part and is strictly controlled or forbidden by most countries. Please review your country's laws before bidding on pieces made of or containing these restricted items. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to inquire about and obtain the proper permits for artwork purchased that may contain restricted materials, if such permit can be obtained. Please contact the department for further assistance. For more information please visit www.cites.org

November 28, 2024 8:00 PM EST
Toronto, ON, CA

Waddington's

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to [bp]% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions