signed lower left
Provenance: Purchased directly from the artist in 2006.
Note: This work is illustrated on page 144 of “Medicine Paint, The Art of Dale Auger” (Dale Auger, with foreword by Mary-Beth Laviolette; Heritage House, 2009). A copy of the book accompanies the painting. The caption within the book, referencing the image, reads:
“We once had a medicine man in our camp. We knew him only as the Traveller. He was tall and charming and had great powers. They say he had the ability to travel to the future, and as proof of his travels he would bring back with him different medicine from different times.”
This was a favourite work of Dale Auger. The artist, in discussing this piece with the purchaser (and friend), indicated that in some ways this was a self-portrait. Auger related that he would often dream of travelling in time, and would contemplate how strange it would be if he could bring everyday items from today back in time. He theorized that even items we casually discard would be transformed, holding power and value in another life and time.
