Attributed to Martin Somerville (fl.1839-1856)
Attributed to Martin Somerville (fl.1839-1856)

Moccasin vendor

Details
Attributed to Martin Somerville (fl.1839-1856)
Moccasin vendor
oil on canvas
13 x 10in. (33 x 25.4cm.)
A variant of Somerville’s 1852 canvas (of the same size) in the Museé de Quebec, Quebec (59.611).

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Lot Essay

J. Russell Harper, Krieghoff, Toronto, 1979, p.166, figs 147-8 – the Quebec picture (‘Martin Somerville’s paintings closely resembled those of his friend. … The two men, who for a period had adjoining studios in Montreal, knew each others work well, collaborated on projects, and possibly even copied one another’s paintings. … Both … painted solitary Indian women in a winter setting. Somerville’s women (fig.147) wear moccasins with lacing around their ankles (fig.148), while Krieghoff painted women wearing moccasins with unlaced tops (fig.149). Somerville introduced awkward and disagreeable lines around the eye sockets in contrast to Krieghoff’s more naturalistic effect. Somerville’s background sunset colours introduce an orange tone which is different from Krieghoff’s pinks at the time they shared adjoining studios. …’)

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