Reference: David Milne Jr. and David P. Silcox, “David B. Milne: Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings” Volume 1: 1882-1928; p. 99, 105-11
Inscribed by Patsy Milne: Picnic
Inscribed by the Duncan Estate on label: 243
Inscribed by David Milne Jr.: cat
The subject of the painting is Patsy Milne with an unidentified companion.
David Milne has followed a unique and quiet path to his place in Canadian art history. A contemporary of the Group of Seven, Milne’s work is singular…unique in its aesthetic. Equally drawn to the natural landscape, where the group was bold, rugged and nationalistic, Milne reduced his scenes with delicate precision, always looking inward. To Milne art and his life were one.
Born the youngest of 10 children, to a farming family, Milne learned to love nature at an early age, often following his mother around their fields and gardens. Upon graduating high school in 1899, Milne began studying art by correspondence at the Arcade School in New York, while working as a country school teacher. In 1903 he left Ontario to attend art school at the Art Students League in New York, where he studied for 3 years. He subsequently exhibited with the American Watercolour Society and the New York and Pennsylvania Watercolour Clubs and, in 1913, he exhibited five works in the famous Armory Show – he was one of only 3 Canadians to exhibit at the prestigious international exhibition of modern art.
In 1912, Milne married Frances May (Patsy) Hegarty, whom he had met in 1906 while she was a shopgirl at Jungmann’s Drugstore and he was producing showcards for the windows. It was not until three years later that Milne determined that he was ready to begin making portraits of Patsy; etchings and watercolours, often in outdoor settings. It was during their time as newlyweds that this piece was painted. As they shared a love for the country, they left the city to live a quieter life in the hamlet of Boston Corners, where they remained for several years.
In 1929, Milne returned permanently to Canada. He and Patsy separated in 1933, divorcing in 1939 during the most isolated time in Milnes life (while he was at Six Mile Lake). Often called a recluse, Milne was a complex man, whose personal and artistic life were interwoven. His isolation allowed him to focus on his artistic process, and he worked at his craft compulsively. It is clear from all accounts, that Milne was dedicated to the creation of his art above all else in life, and he has left behind an impressive body of work, unique in its contribution to Canadian art.
Literature: Painting Place: The Life and Work of David B. Milne; David P. Silcox (1996); Reflections in a Quiet Pool, The Prints of David Milne; Rosemarie L.Tovell (1980).