Lot 122: Sir Frederick Grant Banting (Canadian, 1891-1941)

A settlement on the St Lawrence, possibly St Tite des Caps
signed 'Banting', bears inscriptions verso
oil on panel
21.6 x 26.7 cm. (8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.)
unframed

Banting was born in Alliston, Ontario and attended the University of Toronto, during WW1 he was wounded at Cambrai and was awarded an MC in 1919.

On his return to Canada he began his research into diabetes which, in 1923, culminated with the award of the Nobel Prize (jointly with J.J.R. MacLeod) for the work which led to the discovery of insulin. He was granted a life annuity of £7,500 by the grateful Canadian people and was knighted in 1934.

Banting was also an extremely dedicated and talented artist. In 1927 he met Alexander Young Jackson (1882-1974) of the 'Group of Seven', a lasting friendship was formed which resulted in many joint painting excursions.

Banting was always concerned with the quality of his work. He would question Jackson constantly about technique, brush strokes, and the use of colour and upon completion of a sketch he would hand it to Jackson and ask, "Now, what's wrong with this?"

Alfred Joseph Casson (1898-1992) was also an enthusiast for Banting's work and stated that: "one of the good things I admire Fred for is that he knew enough to draw....he had no professional instruction and so little time to devote to it; but he had the one thing that's important for a landscape painter - he had a feel ... he was like the rest of us (in the Group of Seven) and painted what he had some heart and soul in."