Nicholas de Grandmaison
Nicholas de Grandmaison
1892 - 1978
ARCA OC
Nicholas de Grandmaison was born in Russia to an aristocratic family and spent his early life as an army officer. His training included the basics of drawing, used for cartography and topography. In 1919 he attended a Russian officers’ training camp in England, but a short time later, revolution in Russia closed the door to his returning to his homeland. Instead, he went to St. John's Wood School of Art in London, and in 1923, he immigrated to Canada, settling in Winnipeg.

Portraiture was his chosen genre, facilitated by his charming, engaging personality. In 1930, during a pivotal trip to The Pas in northern Manitoba, he became fascinated with First Nations peoples, traveling to their territories to meet with them, such as the Plains natives west of Winnipeg, the Blackfoot Reserve east of Calgary and the Stoney and Sarcee reserves west of Calgary. He spent time with the Blood Indians in southern Alberta, who had the largest reserve in Canada at the time and were still much like their ancestors, and it became his favourite place for subjects. He moved to Calgary to be in proximity to the Peigan, Stoney and Blood peoples.

In 1939, De Grandmaison moved with his family to Banff, and built a home with a studio there. In 1951 he began to take trips to the United States, first to North Dakota to paint Sioux Indians, then in 1952 to the Phoenix, Arizona area to depict Apache and Pima peoples. He also continued his work with commissioned portraiture, and beginning in 1956, he produced 20 portraits of well known Canadians such as Prime Minister John Diefenbaker for Notre Dame College in Saskatchewan.

De Grandmaison's role in preserving a record of the First Nations people of the prairies was recognized by an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary in 1959 and the Order of Canada award in 1976. De Grandmaison saw his native subjects in a romantic light as independent and proud, and attained renown for his depictions of them. De Grandmaison passionately declared, “I love them as fellow brothers. They have character, color and history in their blood...These are my children, and I wish to preserve their faces for posterity. I shall paint them until I die.” The Peigan Tribe made him an honorary member in 1959, and when he died in 1978, he was buried on the Peigan Reserve.
HOW TO SELL
AVAILABLE WORKS
HEFFEL’S TOP RESULTS
Portrait of an Indian Man by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $46,250
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Portrait of an Indian Man
23 x 19 in, 58.4 x 48.3 cm
pastel on sandpaper
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CDN
Sold for: $46,250 CDN (premium included)
Historical Art on Thursday, November 29, 2018
Portrait of a Plains Indian (00658/2013-03844) by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $44,250
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Portrait of a Plains Indian (00658/2013-03844)
26 1/2 x 20 1/2 in, 67.3 x 52.1 cm
pastel on paper
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CDN
Sold for: $44,250 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2014 - Imperial Oil Limited Charity Auction on Saturday, November 08, 2014
John Hunter, Stoney from Morley by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $35,400
Nicholas de Grandmaison
John Hunter, Stoney from Morley
24 x 18 in, 61 x 45.7 cm
oil on canvas board
Estimate: $12,000 - $16,000 CDN
Sold for: $35,400 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2016 - 4th Session on Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Indian Chief by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $35,100
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Indian Chief
21 x 16 1/4 in, 53.3 x 41.3 cm
pastel on paper
Estimate: $9,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $35,100 CDN (premium included)
November 2013 - 4th Session on Saturday, November 30, 2013
Portrait of an Indian by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $32,450
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Portrait of an Indian
26 x 20 in, 66 x 50.8 cm
pastel on sandpaper
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000 CDN
Sold for: $32,450 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2016 - 3rd Session on Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Chief Portrait by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $28,125
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Chief Portrait
18 x 14 1/2 in, 45.7 x 36.8 cm
pastel on paper
Estimate: $12,000 - $16,000 CDN
Sold for: $28,125 CDN (premium included)
Canadian & International Art on Thursday, June 28, 2018
Weasel Tail by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $26,325
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Weasel Tail
19 x 21 3/4 in, 48.3 x 55.2 cm
pastel on paper
Estimate: $9,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $26,325 CDN (premium included)
November 2011 - 3rd Session on Saturday, November 26, 2011
Papoose by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $26,325
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Papoose
16 x 12 3/8 in, 40.6 x 31.4 cm
pastel on sandpaper
Estimate: $7,000 - $9,000 CDN
Sold for: $26,325 CDN (premium included)
February 2014 - 1st Session on Thursday, February 27, 2014
Portrait of an Indian by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $25,000
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Portrait of an Indian
18 x 14 in, 45.7 x 35.6 cm
pastel on sandpaper
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CDN
Sold for: $25,000 CDN (premium included)
August 2017 - 3rd Session on Thursday, August 31, 2017
Indian Chief by Nicholas de Grandmaison sold for $23,400
Nicholas de Grandmaison
Indian Chief
18 x 14 in, 45.7 x 35.6 cm
pastel on paper
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CDN
Sold for: $23,400 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2008 - 2nd Session on Wednesday, November 19, 2008