Auction to test mettle of new generation of Canadian art lovers
Last Updated: Friday, November 17, 2006 | 1:20 PM ET
CBC Arts
Paintings by some of Canada's most celebrated artists come to auction in Toronto on Monday, following fall art auctions in New York and London that set record prices.
But there are few bets on whether Canadian art prices will continue to climb, as for the first time in years, Ken Thomson is not here to influence sales.
The media magnate and art lover set new highs for the works of Lawren Harris, Paul Kane and Cornelius Kreighoff in past auction seasons.
But after Thomson's death this spring, will there be anyone else to champion Canadian art?
David Silcox, president of Sotheby's Canada, says he thinks a new generation of Canadian art lovers is already emerging.
"There was always an underbidder for everything Ken Thomson bought," he said in an interview with CBC Radio.
There may not be one major buyer dominating the art market, but a collection of art patrons is turning up at auctions and is drawn to Canadian art, Silcox said.
The Nov. 20 auction of Canadian art from Sotheby's and Ritchies auction houses features a large collection of works by Alex Colville, including 16 prints.
At Grand Pré, one of the Newfoundland artist's large paintings, could sell for $150,000 to $200,000.
Also up for auction are A.Y. Jackson's Autumn, Lake Superior and Harris's Lake Superior Sketch XCIX, two paintings done on the same day of the same subject by the two different members of the Group of Seven.
There is also a watercolour, Renton's Farm, by David Milne, and five works by Kreighoff, as well as a selection from more contemporary artists among the 193 lots on offer.
The sale, to be held in Toronto, could bring in $4 to $5 million, auctioneers estimate.
Postwar artists draw increased interest
The Group of Seven, Carr and Milne are the backbone of the Canadian market right now, but Silcox predicts this will soon change.
Postwar artists are already commanding high prices in New York, with records set earlier this week for works by Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning.
Canada's postwar artists could soon be getting the same kind of attention, he said.
Monday's auction features works by postwar artists such as Lise Gervais, Jack Bush, Jean-Paul Riopelle and Ken Danby.
Share Tools
Whitney Houston's final song Celebrate debuts by Jessica Wong May. 23, 2012 2:46 PM It seems fitting that Whitney Houston's final release is an upbeat and uplifting duet in which she passes the torch to a younger singer with vocal powerhouse potential. In the high energy song Celebrate, from the upcoming film Sparkle, Houston duets with singer and former American Idol Jordin Sparks.
Top News Headlines
- Police kettle Montreal student protesters, arresting 518
- Police in Montreal moved in on student protesters again Wednesday night, kettling them and making 518 arrests — the largest number in one night since the demonstrations began weeks ago. more »
- Economy trumps crime as top priority, poll suggests
- A new online poll suggests the health of the economy is the top priority for Canadians, ranking ahead of a crackdown on gun, gang and drug crime. more »
- Suspect in custody in decades old N.Y. missing boy case
- New York City police say a person who's in custody has implicated himself in the death of Etan Patz, the boy whose disappearance 33 years ago on his way to school helped launch a missing children's movement that put kids' faces on milk cartons. more »
- How a CP strike affects Canada's supply chain
- When engineers and other workers at Canadian Pacific Railway walked off the job early Wednesday, they set off a strike that could affect coal mines, farms, auto manufacturing plants and maybe even the local Canadian Tire. more »
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Ottawa Van Gogh exhibit a romp with nature
- The National Gallery of Canada's Vincent Van Gogh exhibit features 47 paintings pulled together from around the world that explore the Dutch artist's fascination with nature. more »
- Lady Gaga angers Thai fans with fake Rolex comment
- Pop singer Lady Gaga has caused a stir in Thailand after telling her fans that she planned to buy a fake Rolex from a market in the capital Bangkok. more »
- Tom Wesselmann celebrated in new Montreal exhibit
- With Beyond Pop Art: Tom Wesselmann, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is trying to give the reserved, modest American art icon the attention he deserves. more »
- Security breach alleged in making of bin Laden raid film
- A House committee chairman charged Wednesday in Washington that the CIA and Defence Department jeopardized national security by co-operating too closely with filmmakers producing a movie on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. more »
Q Blog
Stephen Merchant stands up for himself May. 24, 2012 9:54 AM The comic best known for collaborating with Ricky Gervais on hit TV shows "The Office" and "Extras," talks to Jian about recently returning to his stand-up comedy roots, whether there are taboos in comedy, and more.
CBC Books
The problem with modern motherhood May. 24, 2012 9:40 AM French writer Elisabeth Badinter has written a controversial new book about modern motherhood. It in she argues that parenting methods like attachment parenting undermine women. She explains why to Day 6.
- Police kettle Montreal student protesters, arresting 518
- Canadian Everest victim warned by guide to turn back
- Outhouse bear attack survivor was grabbed from 'throne'
- Prince Charles and Camilla jet home after 4-day visit
- Disgraced RCMP officer transferred to B.C.
- Canadian Pacific Railway strike leads to 2,000 layoffs
- John Baird to champion religious freedom in U.S. speech
- SpaceX rocket does practice lap at space station
- Finley expected to detail EI changes today
