24.75 x 31 in (62.9 x 78.7 cm) including frame
Georgian Bay (1938) is a dynamic watercolour that captures the rugged, windswept character of the Canadian Shield. The composition is dominated by the contorted, muscular forms of jack pines, which Lismer renders with heavy, rhythmic outlines. These trees act as a structural screen through which the viewer sees the deep blue of the bay and a dramatic, swirling sky. The work is characterized by an energetic, calligraphic use of line and a bold palette—vibrant purples, golds, and deep greens—conveying the intensity of the northern light at dusk.
Lismer achieves a high degree of spontaneity, using the watercolour medium to allow for a direct, "on-the-spot" response to the landscape. The transparency of the paint creates a luminous effect in the sky and water, while heavier applications of pigment in the foreground give the trees a sculptural, three-dimensional quality. This fluid handling of the brush demonstrates a mature mastery of the medium, focusing on the expressive potential of colour and fractured form.
Georgian Bay was a significant location for Lismer and other members of the Group of Seven, serving as the environment where they developed a new visual language for the Canadian landscape. Although the Group had officially disbanded by 1933, this 1938 work demonstrates that the region's rugged geography remained central to Lismer’s practice. The jack pine—twisted by the wind yet firmly rooted in rock—serves as a primary metaphor for the Canadian spirit. This work’s extensive exhibition history at major institutions, including the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, underscores its importance as a definitive record of Lismer’s lifelong fascination with the Georgian Bay coastline.
Collection of the Artist, Montreal
Peter Dobush, Montreal
Collection of The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1965
Cowley Abbott, Sale 1381, Lot 103
Private Collection, Winnipeg
The Peter Dobush Donation", Winnipeg Art Gallery, 16 November 1965, no.61 ""Group of Seven: Works on Paper", Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1-15 October 1976 "Trees of a Thousand Kind and Tall", Winnipeg Art Gallery, 10 December 1983-1 April 1984 "Arthur Lismer Watercolours", MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph; travelling to the Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, 8 July-27 September 1987
Ferdinand Eckhardt, "The Peter Dobush Donation", Winnipeg, 1965, reproduced Nancy Dillow, "The Collection Donations, The WAG", Winnipeg, March 1981, reproduced page 16 Norah McCullough, "Arthur Lismer Watercolours", Guelph, 1987, reproduced page 16 Dennis Reid, 'The Later Work of Arthur Lismer', and Marjorie Lismer Bridges, 'Chronology' in "Canadian Jungle: The Later Work of Arthur Lismer", Toronto, 1985, pages 28-30, 37, 106
(Includes Buyer's Premium)
Arthur Lismer
Arthur Lismer was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven. Born on June 27, 1885, in Sheffield, England, he received his formal art training at the Sheffield School of Art and subsequently at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Antwerp, Belgium. In 1911, he immigrated to Canada, settling in Toronto where he began working as a commercial illustrator at Grip Ltd. It was during his time at this firm that he established professional relationships with several other artists who would later form the Group of Seven.
Lismer dedicated much of his career to the documentation of the Canadian landscape and the development of Canadian art education. In 1916, he accepted the position of principal at the Victoria School of Art and Design in Halifax. During the First World War, he served as an official war artist for the Canadian War Memorials project, where he produced paintings and sketches documenting the war effort, including the activities of the Canadian hospital ships.
Upon returning to Toronto in 1919, Lismer became vice-principal of the Ontario College of Art. In 1927, he was appointed to lead the educational department at the Art Gallery of Toronto, now known as the Art Gallery of Ontario. In this role, he established innovative programs designed to introduce children to the fine arts, an initiative that influenced art education practices across the country. He maintained a commitment to teaching throughout his life, including later appointments in Ottawa and at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Throughout his career, Lismer was an active member of professional arts organizations, including the Ontario Society of Artists (OSA) and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA). His work is characterized by his focus on the rugged forms of the Canadian Shield and his consistent interest in the social role of art. Arthur Lismer passed away in Montreal on March 23, 1969. His paintings and drawings are held in the permanent collections of major public institutions, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
Major Spring Fine Art Auction
May 7 - May 28, 2026
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