initialed; signed & titled verso
Provenance: Masters Gallery, Calgary; Wallack Galleries, Ottawa
While best known for his portraits and nudes, Holgate is also admired for his Quebec landscapes, particularly those of the Laurentian and Charlevoix regions. It was through his passion for the Quebec countryside that Holgate first connected with A.Y. Jackson, travelling together on Quebec sketching trips. This connection led to his invitation in 1930 to join the Group of Seven, as the eighth member. When the group disbanded, Holgate was one of the founding members of the Canadian Group of Painters.
Holgate’s affinity for the Laurentians led him to build a cabin at Lake Tremblant in 1925. Upon returning to Montreal following his duties as a war artist, he found himself out of place in the Montreal art scene and moved to the Laurentians where he could immerse himself in painting the local landscape. He would reside there until 1973.
