Canadian Art

December 0510, 2020
Auction begins to close at 2:00 pm ET

Online Auction
LOT 78

Lot 78

THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.

THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.
Lot 78 Details
THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE PIG, 1969

egg tempera on Masonite
signed; also signed, titled and dated "Dec. 1969"
23.5 ins x 31.75 ins; 58.8 cms x 79.5 cms

Estimate $4,000-$6,000

Realised: $12,000
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Additional Images
THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.
  • THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.
  • THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.
  • THOMAS DE VANY FORRESTALL, R.C.A.
Provenance:

Roberts Gallery Limited, Toronto
Private Collection, Toronto

Literature:

[1] https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/the-makings-of-artist-tom-forrestall-350192/

Exhibited:

Tom Forrestall Exhibition, 1971-72: The Art Gallery of Hamilton, Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton; Centre Culturel Canadien, Paris, France

Note:

Throughout his career, Forrestall experimented with painting supports in a variety of shapes, from the triangular to the t-shaped, chosen to suit his intentions for specific pieces. He explains that “the rectangle is a boring shape artists have had foisted on them by the framing industry for years. The form and content don't connect. I was in New York looking at a Jackson Pollock and the damn shape kills it. The swirling paint hits the four walls like a padded cell. Creative shapes have a power to them.”[1]

In Preparations for the Pig, the bellows-shape of the panel is an artistic nod to the activity depicted. While the painting already sidles up to several of our senses—the smell of the dense smoke, the warmth of the fire—the shape of the bellows suggests a certain physicality, reminding us of the movements involved in pumping and blowing a fire to life.

Forrestall often paints in egg tempera, a method which requires the artist to mix pigments with a binder, provided by the yolk of an egg. Pre-dating oil paint, egg tempera examples from the first century still exist. The paint must be carefully monitored to ensure the right consistency, with the artist balancing water and yolk in the mixture both during the painting and the drying process. Egg tempera is not flexible, and requires a stiff surface to prevent cracking. The paint itself cannot be stored long term, adding to the primacy of the process, well suited to an artist who, like Forrestall, enjoys creating work en plein air.

The Chronicle Herald article, "The Makings of artist Tom Forrestall"

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 78
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.