Berthe Des Clayes Scottish-Canadian, 1877-1968
protected by museum glass
Further images
In Farm Work, c. 1918, Berthe Des Clayes, Scottish-Canadian, 1877–1968, presents a subdued winter landscape centred on everyday rural labour. Snow spreads across the foreground in thin, textured passages, broken by a faint track that leads toward two small figures working beside a dark wagon or trough. Their loosely articulated forms suggest movement and effort rather than precise detail, emphasising the ordinariness of the task. Behind them, a cluster of barns and farmhouses in warm ochres, reds, and greys is partially screened by tall, leafless trees, whose vertical trunks and branches provide structure and contrast against the pale snow and overcast sky. The buildings appear settled and weathered, reinforcing the sense of a long-established working farm.
Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Des Clayes trained at the Bushey School of Art in England and later at the Académie Julian in Paris. She emigrated to Canada, where she became known for her sensitive depictions of rural and village life, using both pastel and watercolour to capture atmosphere and character. Her work was exhibited widely in Canada and abroad, and she taught painting, sharing her technical skill and knowledge of European academic training with a generation of Canadian artists. Her style reflects the influence of European Impressionism while maintaining a distinctly Canadian sensibility, particularly in her treatment of seasonal light and landscape.
Artistry ran in the family: Berthe’s sisters, Alice and Mary Des Clayes, were also accomplished painters. Alice specialized in landscapes and village scenes, capturing the subtleties of light and weather in rural Quebec and the Maritimes, while Mary focused on portraits and figure studies, often employing a soft, impressionistic palette. Together, the Des Clayes sisters contributed significantly to Canadian art in the early twentieth century, each developing a distinct style while sharing a common dedication to capturing the beauty and character of their surroundings.
Farm Work exemplifies Berthe Des Clayes’ ability to combine careful observation with expressive colour and gesture, capturing the dignity of labour and the character of the rural environment. This pastel on paper measures 12.5 x 9.5 inches, is protected by museum glass, and is signed bottom left.