Heavy accretion of dust on image and frame. Bulging of surface in TR area of painting (probably from the pressure from the back). Three tears in canvas: 24.5cm to 32cm TR X 30cm to 34.5 cm R; 33cm to 35.5cm RM; and 35cm R X 35cm B (2cm in diameter). M
Discoloration (reddish-brown stains) in many areas of the painting. Crazing (cracks in varnish) all over image. Blisters in paint (TR corner, BR corner, TL corner) resulting in flaking of paint in some areas. Major scratches resulting in abrasion of paint in upper part of image (also abrasion of paint from the frame). Frame: very damaged, plaster ornamentation broken off in many areas, esp. on R and L sides. Also many cracks in the plaster and loss of gild. Painting and frame need cleaning from dust (1996)
canvas torn in area 8 cm TL x 5cm L side (c. 1 cm). Major scratch on TR of image (c. 2 cm). Frame - loss of plaster in BL corner, TR corner, lower R side (1996) and TM (2020)
Primary Support
canvas
Secondary Support
no backing board; frame - wood and plaster with gild
Crazing all around surface. Distinct mark indented into paint in area center. Canvas is loose from the frame. Frame has mild reddish-brown accretion marks from apparent rubbing.
James (Jock) W. G. MacDonald was born in Thurso, Scotland in 1867. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art, and later worked as a fabric designer. He taught at Lincoln School of Art; Vancouver School of Art; School of Decorative and Applied Arts, Vancouver; Provincial Institute of Technology and Art, Calgary; and at Ontario College of Art after 1947. MacDonald was a member of Canadian Group of Painters and Painters Eleven. He died in Toronto in 1960. The artist was conducting independent experiments in Vancouver while the others worked in Winnipeg and Toronto. He had painted 'automatics' by 1934 and completely abstract or non-objective works by 1935 or 1936. (Painting in Canada: A History. Harper J. Russel. U of Toronto Press, 1977. P 327) Jock MacDonald was one of Canada's first painters to explore the relationship between abstraction and landscape. What MacDonald did is take the formal qualities of his subjects and isolate or abstract them form the landscape. (The History of Painting in Canada. Barry Lord. Toronto: NC Press, 1974. P 205-7)
Dimensions
23.5 X 33.5 cm
Size Overall
45 X 52.5 cm
Medium
watercolor
Condition
Slight cockling of surface.
Primary Support
paper
Secondary Support
mat, plexiglass, backing board; frame - wood and plaster with gild
