Lot 156: Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on

Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on panel Château Frontenac from Rue Ste-Anne 14 x 10 inches 35.6 x 25.4 centimeters signed Provenance:Private Collection, Ontario Around the time of World War I, societal changes were underway for women, including securing their right to vote in Canada. Greater prosperity brought expansion in art institutions, and women's roles were finding new paradigms. Arising from this creative ferment was an important pioneering network of women artists, including Kathleen Morris, that first met while part of the Beaver Hall Group in Montreal in 1920. Morris's family was part of Montreal's Protestant elite, and her mother, a staunch defender of women's rights, supported her daughter in her career as an artist. Morris's urban streetscapes of Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal, painted en plein air, with their simplified form and lush brushwork, radiate warmth and charm. This splendid sketch depicting Quebec City's landmark Château Frontenac strikes a balance between architectural detail and the warmth of human presence. Ochre and pink tones in the sky, reflected back in the snow, envelop the scene with a unique winter light. Morris's importance was acknowledged when the National Gallery of Canada acquired her work in the 1920s, and recognition of her fine oeuvre continues to expand in contemporary times.