Lot 152: Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on

Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on canvas At Beauport, Quebec 20 1/8 x 22 1/8 inches 51.1 x 56.2 centimeters signed and on verso titled on a label Provenance:Private Collection, Quebec Exhibited:Art Association of Montreal, 41st Spring Exhibition, 1924 Kathleen Morris was included in the important Beaver Hall Group network of women in Montreal in the early 1920s. Accompanied by her mother, she went to Ottawa to live from 1923 to 1929. Morris had a nervous ailment, but worked with complete confidence due to her family's boundless love and encouragement. Eric Brown, Director of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa during that time, was a supporter, and the National Gallery acquired one of her works. During this period, she sketched the Quebec landscape as well as local markets and streets of cities and surrounding towns. She was especially captivated by the visual richness of these towns in winter, and among her favourite places to sketch were Berthierville and Quebec city, as depicted here - Beauport being a borough of the City. Morris became known for her Quebec street scenes, and At Beauport, Quebec, with its horse and sleigh winding up the road through the town, is a superb example of this subject matter. She effortlessly captures the atmosphere of the town, using the details of everyday life, such as the men shovelling snow, depicted with vibrant colour and vigorous brush-strokes.