Frank Hans Johnston Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Frank Hans Johnston Art Value Price Guide

Nov. 28, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949), SPRING AWAKENING
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949), Canadian SPRING AWAKENING oil on board signed lower left; signed and titled verso; titled to gallery label verso Estimate: $10,000—15,000 CAD
Waddington's
Oct. 10, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1949), WINTER SUN
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1949), Canadian WINTER SUN signed lower left; signed, titled, situated "Victoria Harbour on Georgian Bay", and inscribed "Painted in December" verso; titled to gallery label verso Estimate: $8,000—12,000 CAD
Waddington's
Oct. 10, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), OCTOBER GOLD
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), Canadian OCTOBER GOLD signed lower left Estimate: $5,000—7,000 CAD Important: This lot is located in Vancouver. Local pick up by special arrangement; shipment from Vancouver only.
Waddington's
Oct. 10, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), RETREATING WINTER
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), Canadian RETREATING WINTER signed lower left Estimate: $6,000—8,000 CAD Important: This lot is located in Vancouver. Local pick up by special arrangement; shipment from Vancouver only.
Waddington's
Jun. 27, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, ARCA (1888-1949), THE HILL ROAD, 1929
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, ARCA (1888-1949), Canadian THE HILL ROAD, 1929 signed lower left; signed and titled verso; dated to unidentified exhibition label verso Estimate: $8,000—10,000 CAD
Waddington's
Jun. 27, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), FINE WEATHER, CA. 1947
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), Canadian FINE WEATHER, CA. 1947 signed lower left Estimate: $8,000—12,000 CAD
Waddington's
May. 29, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), THE LIFTING VEIL OF WINTER
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), Canadian THE LIFTING VEIL OF WINTER oil on hardboard signed lower left; titled to artist's label verso 14.5 x 20.25 in — 36.8 x 51.4 cm Estimate: $8,000—12,000
Waddington's
May. 29, 2024
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), THE GOBLIN'S GROVE
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, OSA, RCA (1888-1941), Canadian THE GOBLIN'S GROVE oil on board signed lower left; titled verso 10.75 x 13.75 in — 27.3 x 34.9 cm Estimate: $6,000—8,000
Waddington's
Sep. 07, 2023
FRANCIS HANS JOHNSTON (CANADIAN 1888-19490 A WOODED RIVER LANDSCAPE, WINTER
Est: £1,000 - £2,000
FRANCIS HANS JOHNSTON (CANADIAN 1888-19490 A WOODED RIVER LANDSCAPE, WINTER Signed, oil on board (20cm x 25.5cm (8in x 10in))
Lyon & Turnbull
Sep. 20, 2022
Francis Hans Johnston, ARCA, OSA, CSPWC (Canadian, 1888-1949) 'Epic of the North'
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
Francis Hans Johnston, ARCA, OSA, CSPWC (Canadian, 1888-1949) 'Epic of the North' signed 'Franz Johnston' (lower left); inscribed 'Epic of the North/by/Franz Johnston/A.R.C.A O.S.A.' (verso) gouache 37.8 x 25.7cm (14 7/8 x 10 1/8in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bonhams
Apr. 22, 2022
Franz Hans Johnston oil on masonite
Est: $6,000 - $9,000
Franz Hans Johnston (Canada 1888-1949), oil on masonite, labeled verso The Beckoning of Spring, painted by Franz Johnston A.R.C.A. Wyebridge, Ontario, signed lower left, 12" x 16". This artist was an original member of the Canadian"Group of Seven". Competitive in-house shipping is available for this lot.
Pook & Pook Inc.
Mar. 28, 2022
"Porto Radium - Gt. Bear Lake", tempera paint on cardboard, signed FRANZ JOHNSTON - probably Franz H
Est: €7,000 - €10,500
"Porto Radium - Gt. Bear Lake", tempera paint on cardboard, signed FRANZ JOHNSTON - probably Franz Hans Johnston (1888-1949), dated March 1939 on the back, Dim. - 45 x 53 cm
Cabral Moncada Leilões
Sep. 19, 2021
Frank (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949) Canadian, O/B
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Small, impressionistic plein air oil sketch on board, signed lower left, signed and dated verso 1918. Size: 6 x 8 in. Frank (Franz) Hans Johnston was active in Winnipeg and Toronto, Canada. Frank Johnston was briefly a member of the Group of Seven, led by Lawren Harris, which held to doctrines of painting that emphasized commitment to national subjects and spiritual interpretation of these subjects, frequently landscapes. Because of the more decorative tendencies of Johnston's work and his desire for creative independence, he fell away from the Group of Seven. Please contact Nic at Info@premiershipment.com for an estimated shipping quote prior to bidding. Please note that all items are sold as is, and conditions should be asked prior to sale.
Sarasota Estate Auction
Sep. 19, 2021
Frank (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949) Canadian, O/B
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Small, impressionistic plein air oil sketch on board, signed lower left, signed and dated verso 1918. Loss to upper right hand corner. Size: 6 x 8 in. Frank (Franz) Hans Johnston was active in Winnipeg and Toronto, Canada. Frank Johnston was briefly a member of the Group of Seven, led by Lawren Harris, which held to doctrines of painting that emphasized commitment to national subjects and spiritual interpretation of these subjects, frequently landscapes. Because of the more decorative tendencies of Johnston's work and his desire for creative independence, he fell away from the Group of Seven. Please contact Nic at Info@premiershipment.com for an estimated shipping quote prior to bidding. Please note that all items are sold as is, and conditions should be asked prior to sale.
Sarasota Estate Auction
Feb. 08, 2021
Franz Johnston (Francis Hans Johnston) (Canadian, 1888-1949), "Western Sketchbooks"
Est: $50 - $100
First edition, 1970. Folio of 8 reproductions from Johnston's 1924 sketchbooks depicting Banff, Lake Louise, etc. Card folder printed on four sides. Foreward by Johnston's son and artist Paul Rodrik with biography of Franz Johnston on inside and verso of rear. In original glassine envelope. Johnston was associated with the Group of Seven.
Peter Estey Fine Art & Auctions
Nov. 14, 2020
FRANZ JOHNSTON - Pool of Blue, Long Lac
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
FRANZ JOHNSTON, R.C.A. (Canadian, 1888-1949) "Pool of Blue, Long Lac" - Oil on board. Signed lower left, framed. 10 x 12 in.
Saskatchewan Network for Art Collecting
Sep. 17, 2020
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., R.C.A., MOUNT ATHABASCA AND ANDROMEDA, oil on board, 20 ins x 42.25 ins; 50.8 cms x 107.3 cms
Est: $15,000 - $20,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., R.C.A. MOUNT ATHABASCA AND ANDROMEDA oil on board signed; inscribed "From Franz Johnston, Balm Beach - Georgian Bay, Ont." on the reverse 20 ins x 42.25 ins; 50.8 cms x 107.3 cms Provenance: Joyner Fine Art, November 1993, lot 93 as "View From Banff" Private Collection, Toronto 1924 was a watershed year for art depicting the Canadian Rockies. Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, and J.E.H. MacDonald were all painting in various places between Banff and Jasper, at various times. In July of that year, the Canadian Pacific Railway sent Frank H. Johnston west from Winnipeg, where he was living at the time, on a sketching trip to create advertising material for their promotional brochures. We also know that he visited Jasper, which was of interest to the CPR and had been opened up by their regional competitor the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1911. But Jasper National Park is huge, and the mountains of its southern regions, which this fine work depicts, were a much more challenging venture to reach. Previously described as “View from Banff” and “Lake O’Hara,” this work in fact depicts Mount Athabasca, the centerpiece of the Columbia Icefields. Mount Andromeda shows to the right of Athabasca, both seen from a location high up along Wilcox Pass. Wilcox Pass is an historic route and at the time, was the main trail linking Banff and Jasper towns. There was no road or train line that would have given Johnston access to this pass until The Glacier Trail (now the Icefields Parkway) was completed in 1940. Johnston having accessed this remote area, either on his 1924 trip or later in 1930, is indeed remarkable. The CPR headed west at Field, some 146 kilometers south of the Icefields, and the Grand Trunk Pacific line in Jasper - which was by then known as the Canadian National Railway, was 106 kilometres north west. Travelling the Wilcox Pass route would have required a guide and pack train, and would have taken several days. It’s possible and perhaps more likely that the work was executed from photographs provided by others, and the large format of the work certainly suggests its use as illustrative material, perhaps as a banner or masthead on a brochure or poster. It is simply too large to have been a practical field study. While there are posters for both the CPR and the CNR in Johnson’s exhibition records in 1925, there are no additional titles of work that can be located in the vicinity of Wilcox Pass. The work’s support, however, suggests a more durable intention than illustration art, which was often discarded after use, thus inexpensive papers and boards were used. The work’s support of pressed board and execution in oil begs the question of its intention. Regardless of its source or use, it is a sundrenched, fresh, and uniquely appealing work depicting a spectacular high-alpine location in the Rockies of Jasper National Park. One that brings a new set of questions about the extent of Johnston’s travels in the Rockies to the fore. We thank Lisa Christensen for contributing this essay. Ms. Christenten is the past Director of Heffel Fine Art Auction House’s Calgary office, Curator of Mountain Culture at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, and a freelance writer and guide. She is the author of four award-winning books on the mountainscape art history of Canada. Estimate: $15,000–20,000
Waddington's
Jul. 24, 2020
Francis (Franz) Hans Johnston, Canadian (1888-1949), Changing Seasons, oil on board, 7 x 9 in. (17.8 x 22.9 cm)
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
Francis (Franz) Hans Johnston Canadian (1888-1949) changing seasons oil on board signed lower left 7 x 9 in. (17.8 x 22.9 cm)
Maynards Fine Art & Antiques
Dec. 08, 2019
Franz Johnston, (Canadian, 1888-1949), The Sapphire, oil on board, 12" x 16"
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Franz Johnston (Canadian, 1888-1949) The Sapphire oil on board signed lower left 12" x 16" Catalog Note: The location pictured is on the Rouge River in Argenteuil, Quebec, a few miles north of the Ottawa River in late October.
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Sep. 08, 2019
Frank (Franz) Johnston - High Park
Est: $1,200 - $1,800
High Park - signed gouache, 7" x 9" (framed)
Westbridge Fine Art Auction House
Jul. 10, 2019
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, Canadian (1888-1949), Sunlight Through Trees, oil on board, 11 7/8 x 18 in. (30.2 x 45.7 cm)
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
signed Franz Johnston lower right
Maynards Fine Art & Antiques
Jun. 09, 2019
Franz Johnston, (Canadian, 1888-1949), Prelude to Winter, oil on board, 16" x 20"
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Franz Johnston (Canadian, 1888-1949) Prelude to Winter oil on board signed lower left 16" x 20" Catalog Note: The subject pictured is to be found on the Wye River in Midland, Ontario, not far from where it empties into Georgian Bay near Sainte-Marie among the Hurons at Martyrs Shrine.
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Jun. 09, 2019
Franz Johnston, (Canadian, 1888-1949), The Sapphire, oil on board, 12" x 16"
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Franz Johnston (Canadian, 1888-1949) The Sapphire oil on board signed lower left 12" x 16" Catalog Note: The subject pictured is to be found on the Rouge River in Argenteuil, Quebec, a few miles north of the Ottawa River in late October.
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
May. 14, 2019
FRANZ JOHNSTON A.R.C.A., O.S.A. (CANADIAN 1888-1949) BANFF, AL'TA 23cm x 33cm (9in x 13in)
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
FRANZ JOHNSTON A.R.C.A., O.S.A. (CANADIAN 1888-1949) BANFF, AL'TA Signed, oil on board 23cm x 33cm (9in x 13in)
Lyon & Turnbull
Apr. 24, 2019
Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston, Canadian (1888 - 1949), Sunlight Through Trees, oil on board, 11 7/8 x 18 in. (30.2 x 45.7 cm)
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
signed Franz Johnston lower right
Maynards Fine Art & Antiques
Mar. 19, 2019
Johnston, Franz - The open fields - C. 1930
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Johnston, Franz (1888-1949) The open fields - C. 1930 Huile sur carton, signé en bas à gauche Franz Johnston Oil on cardboard, signed on lower left Franz Johnston 5 1/2" x 6 1/2" - 13.97 x 16.51 cm Rapport de condition : Sur demande, nous nous ferons un plaisir de répondre à vos question de manière détaillée. Condition Report : Upon request, We will gladly answer all your inquiries in a detailed manner.
Champagne Auctions
Dec. 16, 2018
Franz Johnston - The Golden Road
Est: $7,000 - $9,000
The Golden Road (oil on board, 18" x 24", framed)
Westbridge Fine Art Auction House
Dec. 02, 2018
Franz Johnston, (Canadian, 1888-1949), Northern Express, oil on board, 19 1/4" x 15"
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Franz Johnston (Canadian, 1888-1949) Northern Express oil on board signed lower left signed and titled on verso 19 1/4" x 15"
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Jun. 01, 2018
Frank (Franz) Hans Johnston, Canadian (1888-1949), Winter Sun, oil on board, 6 x 8 in. (15.2 x 20.3 cm)
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
signed
Maynards Fine Art & Antiques
May. 28, 2018
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., A FRIENDLY ROAD, oil on masonite, 20 ins x 24 ins; 50.8 cms x 61 cms
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.A FRIENDLY ROADoil on masonitesigned; also signed and titled on the reverse 20 ins x 24 ins; 50.8 cms x 61 cms Provenance:Galerie Bernard Desroches, Montreal Pagurian Press Limited, TorontoPrivate Collection, TorontoEstimate: $10,000–15,000
Waddington's
May. 28, 2018
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., THE OPAL POOL, oil on masonite, 24.5 ins x 29.5 ins; 62.2 cms x 74.9 cms
Est: $20,000 - $25,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.THE OPAL POOLoil on masonitesigned 24.5 ins x 29.5 ins; 62.2 cms x 74.9 cms Provenance:Private Collection, CalgaryLiterature:Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: A Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto and Oxford, 1998, page 11. Frank Hans Johnston (1888-1949) was a versatile and prolific painter whose landscapes have shaped our collective imagination of what constitutes the canon of early 20th century Canadian painting. Johnston was academically trained and worked for a time as a commercial artist at the Toronto based design firm, Grip Limited, where he met a number of other artists with whom he would go on to form the Group of Seven in 1920. While he would soon break from the Group, his dedication to the natural landscape grew out of the shared experiences and wilderness expeditions in those early years of burgeoning nationalism and modernism in Canada. His vast body of work demonstrates an array of artistic styles but largely favours a more decorative aesthetic, though never without depth or a keen eye for detail. This is evidenced in the painting The Opal Pool, where Johnston’s careful play of light and shadow evokes the setting sun and the silent and enduring beauty of a forest river. The precise depiction of perspective and snow, two notoriously difficult elements to paint well, are the result of excellent academic training undertaken by Johnston. Winter in Canada is long and lingering, but Johnston manages to transform this bleak season into one of imagination, invitation and even nostalgia for the carefree days of childhood adventures in the great outdoors. Estimate: $20,000–25,000
Waddington's
May. 10, 2018
FRANZ (FRANK) HANS JOHNSTON (CANADIAN, 1888-1949), SUNSET GLORY, XMAS CARD COLOUR SILKSCREEN; SIGNED IN IMAGE LOWER RIGHT, TITLED IN PRINT INSIDE AND BACK OF CARD (Silkscreen, 3.5” x 4”) (Card, 5.8” x 5”) Note: COUTTS GREETING CARD - PRINTERS
Est: $150 - $200
FRANZ (FRANK) HANS JOHNSTON (CANADIAN, 1888-1949) SUNSET GLORYXMAS CARD COLOUR SILKSCREEN; SIGNED IN IMAGE LOWER RIGHT, TITLED IN PRINT INSIDE AND BACK OF CARD (Silkscreen, 3.5” x 4”) (Card, 5.8” x 5”) Note: COUTTS GREETING CARD - PRINTERS OF CANADA SERIES.Estimate: $150—200
Waddington's
Apr. 19, 2018
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., OCTOBER PLOUGHING, oil on masonite, 24 ins x 34.5 ins; 61 cms x 91.4 cms
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.OCTOBER PLOUGHINGoil on masonitesigned; titled on the artist’s label on the reverse 24 ins x 34.5 ins; 61 cms x 91.4 cms Provenance:Private Collection, TorontoLiterature:Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: The Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto/Oxford, 1998, page 80.Ross King, Defiant Spirits: the Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven, Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, 2010, page 379.Ross King writes: "After leaving the Group of Seven, Frank Johnston put geographical as well as artistic distance between himself and his former colleagues," thereby earning a number of detractors. These were primarily fellow artists, who felt that Johnston had committed, in King's words "a kind of apostasy" as he ventured away from the more prescribed style of the Group. But with a family to support, Johnston gambled that he could succeed as well, or perhaps even better, on his own. It was a gamble he won, which may have rankled the Group. In fact, Johnston enjoyed tremendous commercial success. His paintings of pastoral subjects such as this lot were, and remain, enormously popular. As proof of this, Burford notes "that of the eighty paintings (Johnston) exhibited in the Eaton's show of 1943, more than half sold in the first three weeks at prices ranging from fifty to one thousand dollars..." But it wasn't exclusively economic success that Johnston enjoyed; his paintings were critically popular, too. Burford writes that the Globe and Mail's critique of Johnston's 1944 exhibit at Eaton's College Street enthused that "the workmanship was utterly remarkable,” a truth, says Burford that "even Johnston's greatest detractors had to allow of his work.”Estimate: $10,000–15,000
Waddington's
Apr. 11, 2018
Johnston, Frank (1888-1949) Winter sun
Est: $12,000 - $15,000
Huile sur toile marouflée sur panneau, signée en bas à gauche Franz Johnston Oil on canvas pasted on board, signed on lower left Franz Johnston 20" x 24"; 50.80 x 60.96 cm
Champagne Auctions
Apr. 07, 2018
JOHNSTON, FRANK HANS (1888 - 1949), CANADIAN
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
Titled, "The Big Mill" verso. Watercolour. Signed, lower left. 10.25" x 14". Verified by Johnston's son, Paul Rodrik verso.
Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd.
Nov. 20, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., GOING HOME, STURGEON RIVER COUNTRY, oil on masonite, 25 ins x 30 ins; 68.6 cms x 82.6 cms
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.GOING HOME, STURGEON RIVER COUNTRYoil on masonitesigned; also signed and titled on the reverse 25 ins x 30 ins; 68.6 cms x 82.6 cms Provenance:G. Blair Laing Limited, TorontoPrivate Collection, OntarioLiterature:Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: A Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1998, page 55.Franz Johnston’s (1888-1949) well known decision to leave the Group of Seven after a single public group exhibition consumed both sides of the debate over traditionalism versus modernism in Canada among art cognoscenti and the general public alike. The Toronto Star went so far as to publish the headline “Canadian artist deserts the extremist Group of Seven” while others saw Johnston as abandoning the cause in the great march towards modernization. But Johnston’s traditionalism was rooted in the rigorous training he had undergone in academic painting, which is often beautifully realized by an aesthetic that tends toward the atmospheric and decorative in contrast to other Group members. These ideological and stylistic differences, the offer and acceptance of a principal teaching position at the Winnipeg School of Art, and his feeling that the publicity surrounding the Group might potentially affect his sales, contributed to his decision to leave the Group in 1924. Johnston turned increasingly towards 19th century realism in his later career. Going Home, a pastoral winter scene, captures this affinity for more traditional theme and style.Estimate: $12,000–18,000
Waddington's
Nov. 20, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., OLD MILL, QUE., oil on canvas board, 7 ins x 9 ins; 30.5 cms x 38.1 cms
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.OLD MILL, QUE.oil on canvas boardsigned; titled on the reverse 7 ins x 9 ins; 30.5 cms x 38.1 cms Provenance:Private Collection, Maple, ONLiterature:Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: A Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1998, page 13.In Old Mill, Que., Franz Johnston (1889-1949) offers fresh perspective on what was at the time a well documented motif, the Canadian lumber mill. Johnston expertly contrasts purples, pinks, yellows and dark greens. The light, swirling sky above emphasizes the vastness of the Canadian landscape, while the subtle and finely painted saplings in the foreground suggest the continual cycle of growth, decay and rebirth; themes that would have resonated with a Canadian public, having to come to terms with the aftermath of the Second World War.Estimate: $4,000–6,000
Waddington's
Nov. 20, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., OLD ELMS, tempera on paperboard, 7.25 ins x 6 ins; 18.4 cms x 15.2 cms
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.OLD ELMStempera on paperboardsigned “Frank H. Johnston” 7.25 ins x 6 ins; 18.4 cms x 15.2 cms Provenance:Private Collection, TorontoEstimate: $4,000–6,000
Waddington's
Nov. 20, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., NORTHERN SPRING, oil on board, 16 ins x 20 ins; 40.6 cms x 50.8 cms
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.NORTHERN SPRINGoil on boardsigned; also signed and titled on the reverse 16 ins x 20 ins; 40.6 cms x 50.8 cms Provenance:Private Collection, TorontoLiterature:Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: A Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1998. Marilyn Baker, The Winnipeg School of Art: The Early Years, University of Manitoba Press, Winnipeg, 1984.A 1934 exhibition review in the Toronto Telegram reads: “One does not need to be told of a Johnston canvas “that it is a cold lonely road. The light is failing. The night is near. The whispering wind is the only sound in silence so deep that even one’s breath can be heard.” One knows inevitably in looking at a picture by him he meant to tell you these things”.” Indeed, Johnston was an ardent chronicler of the Canadian landscape, and rather than follow the current artistic trends, he painted what he saw, as he saw it. Franz Johnston’s (1888-1949) decorative and more delicate leanings can be seen in the painting Northern Spring. The fluffy white clouds in the background add charm and lightheartedness to the work, a sentiment which is contrasted by the dark shadowed trees on the right. Through careful perspectival arrangement, Johnston suggests the moment of transformation between winter and spring, when the earth begins to slowly warm, cathartically shedding the weight and melancholy of those long cold months of winter.Estimate: $10,000–15,000
Waddington's
Nov. 20, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., PARRY SOUND COUNTRY, oil on canvas board, 9 ins x 7 ins; 22.9 cms x 17.8 cms
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.PARRY SOUND COUNTRYoil on canvas boardsigned 9 ins x 7 ins; 22.9 cms x 17.8 cms Provenance:Private Collection, WaterlooLiterature:Roger Burford Mason, A Grand Eye for Glory: A Life of Franz Johnston, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1998.Known as a jovial, humorous man who loved to explore the Ontario wilderness, wrote poetry and fairy tales for his children and enjoyed going to the cinema, Franz Johnston (1888-1949) defied convention, even as he worked within the boundaries of conventional commercial art. The art critic Augustus Bridle, in a 1942 exhibition review, opined that “Franz has a grand eye for glory. He seldom paints anything because it’s grim or ugly”. Certainly the painting Parry Sound Country is a prime example of this delight in the colourful beauty of Canada.Estimate: $5,000–7,000
Waddington's
Sep. 21, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., THE NOCTURNAL PREDATOR, oil on masonite, 24 ins x 36 ins; 61 cms x 91.4 cms
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.THE NOCTURNAL PREDATORoil on masonitesigned 24 ins x 36 ins; 61 cms x 91.4 cms Provenance:Private Collection, OntarioEstimate: $6,000–8,000
Waddington's
Sep. 21, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., ECSTACY, oil on board, 12 ins x 16 ins; 30.5 cms x 40.6 cms
Est: $3,500 - $5,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.ECSTACYoil on boardsigned; titled on the reverse 12 ins x 16 ins; 30.5 cms x 40.6 cms Provenance:Galerie Dresdnere, TorontoPrivate Collection, Maple, OntarioAccording to a handwritten note affixed to the backing, “This subject was painted in September 1937. On a sideroad near Tiny Beach, Georgian Bay, Ontario.”Estimate: $3,500–5,000
Waddington's
May. 29, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., ADVANCING SPRING - MELTING SNOWS IN LATE MARCH IN THE LONGLAC DISTRICT, 1937, oil on board, 10 ins x 12 ins; 25.4 cms x 30.5 cms
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.ADVANCING SPRING - MELTING SNOWS IN LATE MARCH IN THE LONGLAC DISTRICT, 1937oil on boardsigned; titled “Advancing Spring” on the reverse 10 ins x 12 ins; 25.4 cms x 30.5 cms Provenance:J. Merritt Malloney’s Gallery, TorontoPrivate Collection, TorontoThe flamboyant and restless original member of the Group of Seven, Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949) had developed a deep and lasting love for the landscape of northern Ontario. Although he shared this passion with the Group members, his depiction of his homeland grew increasingly realistic with time and distinctly detached from the stylistic evolution of his fellow artists. Until his last days, he remained an independent spirit and faithful to his own artistic convictions.Johnston was particularly fond of depicting winter scenes of glistening white-covered snow banks flanking streams of dark water and set against evergreens. He was flawlessly adept at capturing the soft and shimmering glow of light on snow that perfectly captures the feel of the cool, crisp air. This painting of the Longlac area above Lake Superior is representative of his painterly style that evokes the majestic grandeur and awe-inspiring views of the Canadian wilderness. Above all, it depicts the spirit of the true north.Estimate: $5,000–7,000
Waddington's
May. 29, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., THE CATHEDRAL, oil on panel, 8.5 ins x 6 ins; 21.6 cms x 15.2 cms
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.THE CATHEDRALoil on panelwith an inscription on the reverse by Frances-Anne Johnston (the artist’s daughter) authenticating this painting 8.5 ins x 6 ins; 21.6 cms x 15.2 cms Provenance:Private Collection, WinnipegLiterature:Joan Murray, McMichael Canadian Art Collection: One Hundred Masterworks, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, 2016, p. 104.Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949) likened his time spent in nature to a spiritual experience, providing an opportunity for contemplative meditation. Sketching en plein air nurtured a reverence for the beauty and grandeur of the natural world which he reflected soulfully in little sketches like this lot. During his second famous boxcar sketching trip to Algoma in the autumn of 1919 with J.E.H. MacDonald, Lawren Harris and A.Y. Jackson, Johnston noted the splendour of the changing weather and its impact on the natural environment. In a letter to his wife, Johnston seems captivated by the trees. Like the birch trees illustrated in this painting, he describes the spruce he saw as “aspiring up like cathedrals.”Estimate: $10,000–15,000
Waddington's
May. 29, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., SHORELINE, oil on board, 10.25 ins x 12.25 ins; 26 cms x 31.1 cms
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.SHORELINEoil on boardsigned with initials 10.25 ins x 12.25 ins; 26 cms x 31.1 cms Provenance:Private Collection, WinnipegRich greens dominate this striking scene, an ode to nature’s beauty and its elevating spirit. Slender tree trunks, five staggered dark verticals, form a screen between the viewer and the inviting lake beyond, a classic and effective Group trope. A horizontal slice of blue (the distant tree-covered hills), the white-grey of the lake, and the cloudless sky happily interrupt what - in the hands of a lesser painter - could become a monotony of greenery. In this delightful sketch, Frank Hans (Franz) Johnston (1888-1949) demonstrates his cogent mastery of colour, contrast and light. His unfussy, spontaneous dobs and strokes speak to an immediacy in his response to the scene before him. Less refined than his larger post-1930s paintings executed in his studio, the naturalness of Shoreline is its greatest asset. Estimate: $10,000–15,000
Waddington's
Mar. 11, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., TWO LANDSCAPES OF YORK MILLS, both watercolours, the first on card and the second on paper, 5.5 ins x 5.5 ins; 14 cms x 14 cms; 5.75 ins x 6.75 ins; 14.6 cms x 17.1 cms
Est: -
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.TWO LANDSCAPES OF YORK MILLSboth watercolours, the first on card and the second on paperboth signed; the first dated 1915 and the second dated circa 1910 on the reverse, both certified by Paul Rodrik (the artist’s son) 5.5 ins x 5.5 ins; 14 cms x 14 cms; 5.75 ins x 6.75 ins; 14.6 cms x 17.1 cms Provenance:Private Collection, TorontoEstimate: $2,000–3,000
Waddington's
Mar. 11, 2017
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., INTO THE DEEP, oil on board, 12 ins x 16 ins; 30.5 cms x 40.6 cms
Est: -
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.INTO THE DEEPoil on boardsigned 12 ins x 16 ins; 30.5 cms x 40.6 cms Provenance:Private Collection, TorontoEstimate: $6,000–8,000
Waddington's
Nov. 21, 2016
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A., WANING WINTER, oil on panel, 12 ins x 16 ins; 30.5 cms x 40.6 cms
Est: $7,000 - $9,000
FRANK HANS JOHNSTON, O.S.A., A.R.C.A.WANING WINTERoil on panelsigned; also signed and titled on the reverse 12 ins x 16 ins; 30.5 cms x 40.6 cms Provenance:Private Collection, British ColumbiaEstimate: $7,000–9,000
Waddington's