PROVENANCE
G. Hamilton Southam, Ottawa
19th and 20th Century Paintings, Watercolours and Drawings and Prints by Canadian Artists, Christie, Manson & Woods (Canada) Ltd., Montreal, October 24, 1974, lot 111
Galerie Walter Klinkhoff Inc., Montreal
Mitzi and Mel Dobrin, Montreal
Canadian Art, An Outstanding Collection: The Property of a Prominent Montreal Collector, Fraser Bros., Montreal, October 23, 1986, lot 32
A.K. Prakash & Associates Inc., Toronto
Woltjen/Udell Gallery, Edmonton
Masters Gallery Ltd., Calgary
Private Collection, Vancouver

Emily Carr’s Deep Forest captures the spirit of British Columbia and exemplifies Carr’s profound engagement with the forests of the province, a relationship that was both spiritual and deeply rooted in her artistic exploration.

By the early 1930s, Carr had moved beyond her earlier focus on Indigenous villages and totemic imagery, shifting her attention to the dense and towering forests of the BC landscape. Inspired by the modernist approaches she had encountered in the works of the Group of Seven, particularly Lawren Harris, Carr embraced an expressive, rhythmic style. In Deep Forest, her signature undulating forms convey a sense of movement and vitality. The monumental tree trunks anchor the composition, their rich browns and deep shadows contrasting with the luminous greens and blues that filter through the forest canopy. The branches bend and curve with fluidity, suggesting the weight and energy of nature in motion.

The interplay of shadow and light is particularly striking in this work. The lower portions of the tree trunks are immersed in cool, shadowy tones, while the bright greens of the forest floor glow with an almost ethereal radiance. This dynamic contrast creates a sense of depth and mystery, drawing the viewer into the heart of the forest. The trailing dark tendrils, suggestive of drooping cedar branches, add to the organic quality of the scene, reinforcing Carr’s belief in the spiritual essence of nature.

The provenance of this painting is important, it having passed through the hands of significant Canadian collectors. G. Hamilton Southam, a well-regarded patron of the arts in Ottawa, was the first known owner. Later, Deep Forest became part of the esteemed collection of Mitzi and Mel Dobrin in Montreal. The Dobrins were passionate supporters of Canadian art, amassing an outstanding collection of works that reflected the country’s most celebrated painters.

Carr’s technique in this period was highly distinctive. Working with oil on paper, often thinning her medium with gasoline, allowed her greater immediacy in her brushwork, resulting in compositions that feel spontaneous and alive. Deep Forest exemplifies this immediacy, with expressive, gestural strokes that capture the life force of the trees and the undulating rhythms of the forest.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars