Harold Town (1924-1990) is renowned across Canada for his eclectic and dynamic body of work.
Town remains one of the most noted and fascinating characters from the "Painters Eleven" group, and is noted as have named the famed group (based on the number of artists who attended their first meeting!). His output was diverse and ever-changing. Despite being a major contributor to developments in 20th-century Canadian abstraction, he also completed a significant amount of figurative works beginning in the 1970s.
Town worked on the French Postcard work between 1971-74. Bound by the subject matter, the series offered the artist an avenue to challenge his expansive imagination and unwavering commitment to his artistic evolution. The varied interpretations of the French postcards solidified his reputation as a master draftsman.
The work is based on a French postcard featuring a nude woman walking alongside a penny-farthing. Rendered with black ink on white board, the figure emerges and blends into the background. Despite having a distorted perspective, the woman's elegant pose and dainty bike handles come through. Overall, this works is a playful and graphic image, evocative of Town's ability to distill his subjects into abstraction.
See other examples from the French Postcard series here and here.
Today, Town's work is represented in prestigious collections across North America including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), and the Guggenheim (New York).
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"French Postcard" (Girl with Bicycle)
Canada, c. 1971
Ink on board
Estate Stamp, verso
14"H 10"W (work)
Very good condition
Provenance: The Estate of Harold Town (inventory no. 3709)
Note: price is $1,500 CAD.
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