Canadian Fine Art Auction

November 23, 2015

LOT 87

Lot 87

BARKER FAIRLEY, R.C.A.

BARKER FAIRLEY, R.C.A.
Lot 87 Details
BARKER FAIRLEY, R.C.A.

PORTRAIT OF PAUL SWEETMAN, 1957

oil on masonite
signed
20 ins x 16 ins; 40.6 cms x 50.8 cms

Estimate $3,000-$4,000

Realised: $5,428
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Additional Images
BARKER FAIRLEY, R.C.A.
  • BARKER FAIRLEY, R.C.A.
  • BARKER FAIRLEY, R.C.A.
Provenance:

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Sweetman
Private Collection, Brighton, Ontario (by descent)

Literature:

Barker Fairley and Gary Michael Dault, Barker Fairley Portraits, Methuen, Toronto, 1981, page 96 and page 97, reproduced in colour.

Note:

Born in 1915, Paul Sweetman was an archaeologist (the first to survey Peterborough’s famous Petroglyphs), a chorister (with a passion for Gilbert and Sullivan), and an alumnus of the University of Toronto, where he would have met and befriended Fairley.

Reflecting on this portrait, Barker Fairley wrote, “This study of Paul I have always felt especially proud of without asking myself why. I painted it years ago and have looked at it frequently since, but only now do I begin to see the light. I remember saying suddenly to myself that if a familiar friend of Paul’s were walking up to the picture, he would say that this was Paul long before he was near enough to identify the features, because in a very special way the whole thing is Paul...”

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 87
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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.