Lot 124
ALEXANDER COLVILLE, R.C.A.
Lot 124 Details
ALEXANDER COLVILLE, R.C.A.
A BOOK OF HOURS, LABOURS OF THE MONTH
one serigraph and twelve facsmiles contained in a handmade presentation album
the serigraph Hotel Maid, signed, titled, dated 1978 and numbered 29/75 in pencil in the lower margin; twelve facsimiles of the paintings from “A Book of Hours, Labours of the Month,” each individually matted, published by the Mira Godard Gallery, Toronto and Fischer Fine Art Limited, London, 1979
overall 16 ins x 15 ins x 2.75 ins; 40.6 cms x 38.1 cms x 7 cms
Estimate $6,000-$7,000
Additional Images
Provenance:
Private Collection, Toronto
Literature:
David Burnett, Colville – Prints/Estampes, Department of External Affairs, Arts Promotion Division, Ottawa, 1985, page 18-19, for select Labour of the Month images and Hotel Maid, reproduced.
Note:
In a foreword contained within this album, Colville writes about the genesis of the Book of Hours project: “In 1971, someone suggested that I do a series of paintings for reproduction in a desk diary. I decided that I would like to do twelve little paintings - one for each month. I wanted to continue the medieval tradition of Books of Hours and Labours of the Months... At the beginning of the project I decided upon a geometric system which would govern the forms of each of the twelve works and so give them a kind of unity... The original serigraph, Hotel Maid, was also designed (using the same system and) was executed in the hand-cut film technique and printed on acid free rag board. As usual I did all of this myself in my studio.”