Lot 43: Jean Albert McEwen 1923 - 1999 Canadian oil on

Jean Albert McEwen 1923 - 1999 Canadian oil on canvas Blason du chevalier jaune 39 x 39 inches 99 x 99 centimeters on verso signed, titled and dated 1962 Literature:Constance Naubert-Riser, Jean McEwen, Colour in Depth, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1987, a similar 1962 oil entitled Blason du chevalier violet no. 2 reproduced page 78 Provenance:Gallery Moos Ltd., Toronto Private Collection, Montreal In 1962, through dealer Walter Moos, who had organized Jean McEwen's first solo show in Toronto, Ewen met prominent New York dealer Martha Jackson. She acquired his works for her gallery and committed to a one man show for the following year. McEwen worked on a number of series in 1962, including Blason du chevalier, which translates as "the coat of arms of the knight". Such titles were not meant to be taken literally but, as Constance Naubert-Riser writes, more as "evidence of a poetic attitude....." meant "to spark off poetic images or simply memories." McEwen superimposes layers of colours, both transparent and opaque, whose interaction produces depth. The beauty of his hues is exquisite, with the incandescent gold flickering over the rich chocolate brown background. The line bisecting the picture plane asserts a vertical direction reinforced by the drips at the bottom edge, while the edge of a square on the left is like the edge of a window into the dark, mysterious background. Opulent and radiant, Blason du chevalier jaune is an outstanding canvas by this important Montreal abstractionist.