Thoreau MacDonald
(1901 - 1989) Canadian Group of Painters
Previously Sold Works
THOREAU MACDONALD
Winter Morning
sampson-matthews silkscreen
artist name, title and “Issued by the National Gallery of Canada” printed in the lower margin; initialed within the plate and inscribed “Supervised by A.J. Casson” lower right; a Sampson-Matthews label on the reverse; unframed
20.25 x 27 ins ( 51.4 x 68.6 cms )
Auction Estimate: $300.00 - $500.00
Price Realized $570.00
Sale date: February 23rd 2021
THOREAU MACDONALD
The Snowstorm
sampson-matthews silkscreen
artist name, title and “Issued by the National Gallery of Canada” printed in the margin; signed “supervised by A.J. Casson” in the plate; a Sampson Matthews label on the reverse, unframed
20 x 27 ins ( 50.8 x 68.6 cms )
Auction Estimate: $200.00 - $300.00
Price Realized $570.00
Sale date: April 27th 2021
THOREAU MACDONALD
Black Spruce
sampson matthews silkscreen
artist name and title printed in the lower margin; a Sampson Matthews label on the reverse; unframed
30 x 40 ins ( 76.2 x 101.6 cms )
Auction Estimate: $500.00 - $700.00
Price Realized $510.00
Sale date: February 24th 2016
THOREAU MACDONALD
Tom Thomson (drawn by T.M. from a photo by L.S.H.)
lithograph
signed and dated 1965 in the lower margin
8 x 6 ins ( 20.3 x 15.2 cms ) ( image )
Auction Estimate: $200.00 - $300.00
Price Realized $510.00
Sale date: February 23rd 2021
THOREAU MACDONALD
Wild Geese
serigraph
30 x 40 ins ( 76.2 x 101.6 cms )
Auction Estimate: $500.00 - $700.00
Price Realized $460.00
Sale date: November 29th 2013
THOREAU MACDONALD
Wild Geese
sampson-matthews silkscreen
30.5 x 40.5 ins ( 77.5 x 102.9 cms )
Auction Estimate: $200.00 - $300.00
Price Realized $443.00
Sale date: February 20th 2019
THOREAU MACDONALD
Black Spruce
sampson-matthews silkscreen
30 x 40 ins ( 76.2 x 101.6 cms )
Auction Estimate: $300.00 - $500.00
Price Realized $403.00
Sale date: September 20th 2017
THOREAU MACDONALD
Canada Geese; Rapids at Night III
charcoal drawings (2) and books
“Canada Geese” [charcoal drawing; signed, titled and dated 1974; 5.5 ins x 9.5 ins (subject)]; “Rapids at Night” [charcoal drawing; signed with initials, titled and dated 1974; 5 ins x 9.5 ins (subject)]; sold together with six volumes related to Thoreau MacDonald (”Some Tools of the Pioneers”, 1936; “Dame Wiggins of Lee and her Seven Wonderful Cats”; “Thoreau’s Tales”, 2002; “54 Old Houses”, 1964; “Birds and Animals: Second Series”, 1973; “House and Barn”)
5 x 9.5 ins ( 12.7 x 24.1 cms )
Auction Estimate: $400.00 - $600.00
Price Realized $413.00
Sale date: February 21st 2018
THOREAU MACDONALD
Red Fox in Vaughan; Strawberry Roam
2 drawings
Red Fox in Vaughan: pencil drawing, initialed to the right, signed lower left (4 ins x 6.75 ins, sight); Stawberry Roam: mixed media drawing, initialed and titled lower right (5 ins x 7 ins, sight)
5 x 7 ins ( 12.7 x 17.8 cms ) ( (largest piece) )
Auction Estimate: $200.00 - $300.00
Price Realized $413.00
Sale date: December 12th 2019
THOREAU MACDONALD
Aurora, Black Rays
mixed media on paper
initialed and dated 79 to the right; titled lower right
6.25 x 8 ins ( 15.9 x 20.3 cms ) ( sight )
Auction Estimate: $200.00 - $300.00
Price Realized $413.00
Sale date: December 12th 2019
THOREAU MACDONALD
Anemones; Mountain Cloud
ink, watercolour, woodcut
“Anemones” (ink and watercolour on paper, signed with initials and titled in pencil in the lower margin, 5.25 x 5 inches); “Mountain Cloud” (woodcut on paper, signed with initials and titled in pencil in the lower margin, sight 5 x 5.5 inches)
5 x 5.5 ins ( 12.7 x 14 cms ) ( largest )
Auction Estimate: $150.00 - $250.00
Price Realized $413.00
Sale date: December 12th 2019
THOREAU MACDONALD
Winter Evening
sampson matthews silkscreen
artist name, title and “Issued by the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa” printed in the margin; signed within the plate; a Sampson Matthews label on the reverse, unframed
19.75 x 26 ins ( 50.2 x 66 cms )
Auction Estimate: $300.00 - $400.00
Price Realized $384.00
Sale date: April 14th 2020
THOREAU MACDONALD
Strawberry Roan
mixed media drawing
initialed and titled lower right
5 x 7 ins ( 12.7 x 17.8 cms ) ( sight )
Auction Estimate: $500.00 - $700.00
Price Realized $390.00
Sale date: August 15th 2023
THOREAU MACDONALD
Northern Lights (and four drawings)
ink and wash
Lot of 5 drawings : “AYJ Pere Raquette”,ink, 4.75 x 6.5 in, Untitled (design for Canadian stamp), pencil, 3 x 2 in, Die Eil [sic] Koenig, pencil, 3.25 x 5 in, Go Home Lake 1978, ink and wash, 6.25 x 10.25 in
6 x 9 ins ( 15.2 x 22.9 cms )
Auction Estimate: $400.00 - $800.00
Price Realized $345.00
Sale date: June 18th 2013
THOREAU MACDONALD
Untitled (Blue Jay) (and four drawings)
ink and wash
Lot of 5 drawings: Rapids at Night, ink and wash, 2 x 4.75 in, Black Duck,1977, ink and wash 7.25 x 12 in, Untitled (Canada Goose) 1977, ink and wash, 6.25 x 10.25 in, Untitled (Shoreline),ink, 3 x 4.25 in
5.75 x 9.75 ins ( 14.6 x 24.8 cms )
Auction Estimate: $400.00 - $800.00
Price Realized $345.00
Sale date: June 18th 2013
Thoreau MacDonald Biography
(1901 - 1989) Canadian Group of Painters
Thoreau MacDonald, illustrator, designer and painter, was born in Toronto in 1901. A self-taught painter, Thoreau worked alongside his father J.E.H. MacDonald. Colour blindness forced him to work mainly in black and white palettes. He illustrated for the Ryerson Press and the Canadian Forum magazine during the 1920s and 30s, a period when Canadian illustrated prints flourished. In general, his subject matter paralleled his father’s, though he tended to favour Ontario farmscapes.
