Lot 43: Samuel Borenstein 1908 - 1969 Canadian oil on

Samuel Borenstein 1908 - 1969 Canadian oil on canvas Street Scene 18 x 24 inches 45.7 x 61 centimeters signed Provenance:Acquired directly from the Artist circa 1958 - 1960 by the present Private Collection, Montreal In 1921, Sam Borenstein escaped the aftermath of war in Europe by emigrating to Canada from Poland. Montreal was his studio base until he moved to Lac Brûlé in the Laurentians, also painting in nearby towns such as Val-David, Lac Marois and Ste-Agathe. Borenstein was known for his fiery temperament, and he greatly admired the outrageous, turbulent work of Chaim Soutine and the passion and vigour of Vincent van Gogh. Friends with Group of Seven artist A.Y. Jackson, he spent much time with him in the Laurentians, exploring villages and painting together. However, Borenstein had developed his own unique painterly language, and an exuberant energy was at the core of his work. In Street Scene, he took the elements of a typical Quebec town and transformed them through the use of a strong colour palette and passionate, expressionist brush-strokes. The rich blue of the sky, foreground house and road gives the painting a liquid, flowing sensation throughout. Street Scene is an outstanding example of Borenstein's fervid approach to art, which he considered his religion - his source of spiritual sustenance. The Yeshiva University Museum in New York is presenting a major retrospective exhibition entitled Sam Borenstein and the Colors of Montreal from February 6 to May 8, 2011.