The local connection to a $500,000 sketch found on the other side of the world

Last seen publicly in 1940, an extremely rare oil-on-panel painted field sketch created in the Algoma region by Group of Seven founder Lawren Harris goes to auction tonight.

It is expected to fetch between $400,000 and $600,000.

Tom Smart, who curated a Group of Seven show at the Art Gallery of Algoma in 2014, said the painting would have been made in the field in the 1920s, when some Group of Seven members travelled the Algoma Central Railroad in a customized rail car.

“[Harris] would have had that in his sketch box and they would have gone out in the morning, either by the shunt car or by canoe, and they would have put it together to work on later on when they were back in Toronto at the studio building,” said Smart by phone from his office in the Peel Gallery in Brampton, Ont.

Smart had an opportunity to view the painting recently at the office of Consignor Canadian Fine Art, who are auctioning off the painting tonight in Toronto.

“This is a very fine sketch. Of all the sketches he has done, this is a really good one,” said Smart.

Not seen publicly since it was purchased in 1940 from Mellors-Laing art gallery in Toronto, the painting had been hanging on a living room on the other side of the world.

Rob Cowley, president of Consignor Canadian Fine Art, said he received a long-distance call from Canberra, Australia.

The owner of the painting, who wishes to remain anonymous, was seeking an estimate for insurance purposes.

After discussing the historical importance of the painting, as well as the reality of having a half-million dollar work of art in her living room, the owner agreed to sell.

“There was a bit of apprehension about shipping it, which I shared,” said Cowley.

In the end, Cowley boarded a plane to pick up the painting from the owner personally.

“They were laughing at the fact I had 50 hours on the continent. I flew out on the Sunday evening from Toronto. I landed in Canberra on Tuesday morning. I saw the client Wednesday morning and I flew out Thursday morning and landed back here Thursday afternoon,” said Cowley.

The owner had grown up with the painting hung behind glass on her family’s wall, it was her father who purchased the painting from Mellors-Laing around 1940.

“It was an important painting to her and very personal,” said Cowley.

She moved to Australia with her husband in the 1970s and inherited the sketch after the death of her last surviving parent in the 1980s.

The importance of the painting can’t be understated, said Cowley.

“[Harris] has been recognized as one of our most important painters for decades. He was the first Canadian artist to sell for more than a million dollars at auction, the first to sell at two million at auction and his sketches have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auctions in the past,” he said.

A large painting by Harris sold at auction last year for over $4-million.

The sketch had not previously been catalogued, but has now been linked to being a study for at least four other Harris paintings, two of which have sold at auction within the last 25 years.

“To have the sketch emerge into the market after not being visible for 75 years is exciting,” said Cowley.

Sketches by the group are more common than the final paintings, but ones that can be linked to finished painting are more rare.

“Algoma is a popular locale depiction for Harris. In this case, they are also looking at the fact it was a preparetory sketch for several works, which is rare,” said Cowley.

FILE PHOTO: Tom Smart, seen during an exhibition of Group of Seven works at the Art Gallery of Algoma in 2014. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday

Smart said an upcoming exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which has been curated by actor Steve Martin, makes this a good time to sell.

“Lawren Harris is really front of mind right now for collectors and institutions, largely because of that exhibition,” said Smart.

Based on his experience curating the Art Gallery of Algoma show in 2014, Smart said the Sault Ste. Marie gallery and private collections in the area have a great selection of Group of Seven pieces, many of which were painted in the Algoma region.