Walter Joseph Phillips (1884-1963)

Walter Joseph (W.J.) Phillips, RCA (1884-1963)

$14,950.00

Atmospheric Mastery: “Water and Hills” (1933) by Walter J. Phillips

The Story

In 1933, Walter J. Phillips was at the zenith of his career. It was the year he was formally recognized by his peers and elected as a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA). “Water and Hills” is a definitive example of why Phillips remains Canada’s undisputed master of the watercolour medium.

Phillips was obsessed with the “dampness” of the Canadian atmosphere. In this work, he utilizes his celebrated “wet method,” allowing pigments to float and merge on the paper to capture the heavy, humid air of a specific Canadian day. The result is a landscape that feels less like a static image and more like a living, breathing environment.

Previously held in a private collection for decades, this work has been meticulously “rescued” for the modern collector. Having undergone extensive professional paper conservation, the sheet has been restored to its original luminosity. The foxing and acidic staining that once masked Phillips’ delicate washes have been expertly remediated, allowing the subtle nuances of his brushwork to shine through for the first time in generations.

PROVENANCE

Acquired directly from the Artist.
Sotheby Parke Bernet, Toronto, ON (May 17, 1983).
From a Notable Private Collection, London, ON. (Held for decades within a distinguished London family collection).
The Nash Gallery, Fonthill, ON.

CONDITION & PRESENTATION

This 1933 masterwork has been thoughtfully revitalized to ensure its historical beauty is fully realized for the modern collector.

Conservation: Following its recent acquisition, the work underwent a gentle professional refresh. This careful process has beautifully brightened the paper and softened the natural signs of age, allowing Phillips’ delicate atmospheric washes to glow with their original 1930s luminosity.
Archival Housing: To preserve this renewed clarity, the Nash Gallery has placed the work in a museum-standard setting, using 100% Acid-Free Cotton Rag and 99% UV-Protective Museum Glass.
Status: The painting is in a wonderful, stable state—truly “gallery-ready” and protected for the decades to come.

Artist Biography: Walter J. Phillips, RCA (1884–1963)

Walter J. Phillips is a titan of Canadian art history. While famous for his revolutionary colour woodcuts, it was his watercolours that informed his deep understanding of light and space. Born in England and settling in Winnipeg in 1913, Phillips spent his life capturing the soul of the Canadian prairies, lakes, and Rockies.

His work is characterized by a “translucent clarity” that few have ever matched. Today, his pieces are cornerstones of the National Gallery of Canada, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and the Glenbow Museum. To own a Phillips is to own a piece of the foundational fabric of Canadian landscape art.

Technical Specifications

Medium: Watercolour on paper.
Date: 1933 (A landmark RCA year).
Sight Size: 13” x 18.5”
Framed Presentation: Housed in archival, museum-grade materials by the Nash Gallery.
Condition: Excellent, professionally conserved state.