John William Beatty Canadian, 1869-1941
Sunset
oil on panel
7 x 8.75 in
signed bottom right
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In Sunset, John William Beatty creates a landscape rich with atmosphere. The foreground is carried by soft reflections on water, painted in pale pinks and muted mauves, while the middle...
In Sunset, John William Beatty creates a landscape rich with atmosphere. The foreground is carried by soft reflections on water, painted in pale pinks and muted mauves, while the middle ground shows meadows in fresh greens, russet browns, and violet shadows. Behind them, a dark line of trees rises against distant hills in layered blues. Above, the sky shifts gently from lavender to peach, capturing the fading light of day.
Beatty’s use of colour here is both restrained and remarkable. Rather than relying on strong contrasts, he layers subtle tones, mauves, violets, and greens, exemplifying how Beatty could transform a modest subject into something remarkable through colour alone.
Born in Toronto in 1869, Beatty trained first with his father and later with artists George Agnew Reid, William Cruikshank, and F. M. Bell-Smith before continuing his studies at the Académie Julian in Paris. Returning to Canada, he became a teacher at the Ontario College of Art and a central figure among painters of his generation. Works such as Sunset show why he was respected not only for his role as a teacher but also for his ability to find atmosphere and meaning in even the smallest of panels. This oil on panel measures 7 x 8.5 inches and is signed on the bottom right.Provenance
- artist label on reverse
- Consignor Canadian Fine Art, Toronto