Lot 69: MANLY EDWARD MACDONALD, R.C.A., MILL IN WINTER, oil on canvas, 27 ins x 40 ins; 68.6 cms x 101.6 cms

MANLY EDWARD MACDONALD, R.C.A.MILL IN WINTERoil on canvassigned 27 ins x 40 ins; 68.6 cms x 101.6 cms Provenance:Private Collection, TorontoManly MacDonald (1889-1971) was born at Point Ann in Prince Edward County, Ontario and spent most of his painting life capturing the villages that dot this pretty part of Southern Ontario. One of the features of this area, particularly in the quiet village of Lonsdale off the Marysville Road, is the use of limestone as a building material. This lot, which portrays an old mill - probably the mill on the Salmon River still extant at Lonsdale - was a subject MacDonald would paint from a variety of angles and in various seasons. Here, seen in winter, the mill’s pale stone seems to be responding to the colours in the still, icey river, the shadow-laden snow and sky above. Known to burst into life come spring, with roadsides lined with heavy lilac blossoms, this region can also be unforgiving in cold winter weather. But in this snowy rendition, MacDonald emphasizes the picturesque and we can imagine the prospect of a friendly neighbour inviting the artist in for a cup of hot tea by the fire.Estimate: $7,000–9,000