44
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.
PARRY SOUND COUNTRY
oil on canvas board
signed
9 ins x 7 ins; 22.9 cms x 17.8 cms
Estimate $5,000-$7,000
Realised: $19,200
Price Includes Buyer's Premium
About artist/note:
Known as a jovial, humorous man who loved to explore the Ontario wilderness, wrote poetry and fairy tales for his children and enjoyed going to the cinema, Franz Johnston (1888-1949) defied convention, even as he worked within the boundaries of conventional commercial art. The art critic Augustus Bridle, in a 1942 exhibition review, opined that “Franz has a grand eye for glory. He seldom paints anything because it’s grim or ugly”. Certainly the painting Parry Sound Country is a prime example of this delight in the colourful beauty of Canada.
Literature:
Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: A Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1998.
Provenance:
Private Collection, Waterloo