Lot 180: Helen Galloway McNicoll 1879 - 1915 Canadian oil

Helen Galloway McNicoll 1879 - 1915 Canadian oil on board Harbour Scene 12 3/4 x 16 5/8 inches 32.4 x 42.2 centimeters Provenance:Estate of the Artist By descent within the family of the Artist, USA Helen McNicoll's mastery of Impressionism was forged in England, while immersed in the modernist milieu at the Slade School of Art in London, followed by Julius Olsson's School of Landscape and Sea Painting in St. Ives under Algernon Talmage. There plein air painting was practiced and was fully absorbed by McNicoll, as seen in her gorgeous gardens, sunlit fields, beaches, flowing streams and harbours. Her rendering of water demonstrates her exquisite ability to depict shimmering, reflected light and the freshness of sea atmospheres. McNicoll worked with a natural tonal palette of browns, greens and grey-blue, applied with fluid brush-strokes that established a tranquil mood. This delightful harbour scene with its picturesque boats also includes a fine architectural detail of a historic tower amid the town. This remarkable, trailblazing female artist gained recognition in a time when male artists dominated, showing in Canada through the Art Association of Montreal, the Royal Canadian Academy and the Ontario Society of Artists. In England she was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists. Her significance resonates and gains ground in contemporary times. This work is being offered by a direct descendant of the McNicoll family.