Albert Angus Macdonald (1909-1986) ARCA OSA
Subject ” Sailboat Race (likely Lake Ontario) ”
Image size 25 1/8” x 19” (Mat opening), 31 5/8″ x 25 3/8″ (mat ) Comes framed with non-glare glass ………SOLD!!!
A. A. Macdonald
Watercolor and gouache on No. 79 HI ART Artist Illustration Board
Likely depicting a race on Lake Ontario near Toronto, this watercolor and gouache painting captures an intense sailboat competition. Three sailboats heel sharply into the wind, with the central yellow-hulled vessel leading the charge. Fluid watercolor washes convey the sky and water, while opaque gouache highlights the sails and spray, enhancing the sense of speed and tension. The work combines precise nautical detail with a vibrant, dynamic style. It is painted on illustration board manufactured by the Canadian Art Laboratory, a company founded in Toronto in the early 1930s.
Albert Angus Macdonald, ARCA, OSA, was born in Bristol, England in 1909 to Canadian parents and moved to Toronto in 1911, where he lived and worked for the remainder of his life. Primarily self-taught, he also undertook life painting classes at the University of Toronto, developing a strong command of figure work.
Macdonald was a highly versatile artist, producing oils, watercolours, tempera, and fresco, as well as stained glass, murals, and tapestries. His subject matter ranged widely—marine scenes, landscapes, cityscapes, figures, nudes, and still life—often marked by a rich use of colour and a strong sense of design. Drawing on influences from Fauvism, Impressionism, Modernism, and Realism, his work defies simple categorization.
Between 1932 and 1949, Macdonald exhibited twenty works at the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, underscoring his sustained presence and recognition within Canada’s leading art institutions. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and was a member of the Ontario Society of Artists. He also exhibited with the Art Association of Montreal and in numerous Ontario exhibitions.
His paintings and decorative works remain in many private and public collections.
Copyright of the artist and or the artist estate.