Arctic Experience  
McNaught Gallery 
Newsletter May 2014 
spring-word-flowers.jpg
Happy first week of May!
A few clients have asked us why one artist's work is more sought after than another. While many factors determine desirability in the art market, reputation is a big one. After an artist has passed away, collectors and galleries sometimes revisit an artist's body of work and look at how they contributed to the artistic culture of their time. This often inspires new interest in acquiring an artist's work.

Last week we introduced L.A.C. Panton. This week we'll use him as an example to discuss the development of an artist's reputation.
The Development
of an Artist's Reputation
Hindsight in the artworld 
 
An artist's reputation fluctuates. David Milne, for example, had a loyal following in the United States before he was discovered in his native Canada. It wasn't until the 1930s, when Alice and Vincent Massey became his patrons, that he became known in Canada as well.

Many artists spend a lifetime developing their craft, honing their skills and zeroing in on their aesthetic. Canadian artists of the early 20th century sought to establish a uniquely Canadian artform. Many went through periods of experimentation with different genres. Many were also educators and influenced generations of emerging artists.

Some artists developed a following or appreciation after they passed away.

As public and private art collections grow, it is possible to amass a body of work that represents an artist's development throughout their career and/or demonstrates their contribution to larger artistic movements.

An historical perspective often adds value and appreciation to an artist's body of work that might not have existed during an artist's lifetime.

L.A.C. Panton's body of work is an excellent example of this. While well respected and admired during his lifetime, it is only with the ability to study his entire oeuvre that we can truly appreciate his contribution to his craft.

The collection of Panton's work at the gallery moves from early figurative studies which showcase a simplified realism (see the top two images of women), to later paintings when Panton moved into more stylized, rhythmic pieces. Notice that even between images 3 & 4 (see above) his treatments of misty, rocky Nova Scotia shores become much more abstract and academic.

Often because an artist's work is dispersed, an complete examination is only possible through retrospective exhibits and catalogues (such as the AGO's 1990 Panton retrospective exhibition "Towards a Lyrical Abstraction.") We are delighted to have such a solid collection of Panton's work at the gallery so that we are able to experience his vision in full.

Make an appointment to see Panton's work at the gallery. 

 

Past Newsletters
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