Lot 155: Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on

Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on panel Corpus Christi Procession 14 x 10 1/8 inches 35.6 x 25.7 centimeters signed and on verso titled and inscribed ""Berthier en haut, Que. / $50"" on a label Literature:Evelyn Walters, The Women of Beaver Hall: Canadian Modernist Painters, 2005, a 1927 canvas with a view of the same cathedral entitled After High Mass, Berthier-en-Haut in the collection of The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts reproduced page 77 Provenance:Private Collection, Ontario One of the prominent subjects for this important early female artist was the religious and social rituals of Quebec. The inscription indicates that the setting is Berthier-en-haut - now known as Berthierville - which was a favourite painting location for Kathleen Morris. Here she depicts the pomp and ceremony of a traditional Roman Catholic procession for the Eucharist, a symbolic re-enactment of Christ's Last Supper. The piety of attendees can be seen in the small group to the right, who kneel in respect. In this beautiful sketch, Morris fascinates the eye with the procession carrying its sacred objects under a canopy and banners along the curving path towards the massive church. She uses a rich colour palette; sumptuous reds, golds and bright yellow in the robes and objects displayed are contrasted with luscious greens of trees and grass. Morris captures the power of ritual at a time in which the church was a dominant part of life in Quebec. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has a large 1927 canvas in their collection entitled After High Mass, Berthier-en-haut, a scene in front of this same church.