PROVENANCE
Kenneth R. Thomson, Toronto
A.K. Prakash & Associates Inc., Toronto
Private Collection, Nova Scotia

LITERATURE
Marius Barbeau, Cornelius Krieghoff: Pioneer Painter of North America, 1934, a similar canvas titled Toll Gate, dated circa 1858, listed pages 112 – 113

Cornelius David Krieghoff, during his years in Canada, produced vivid and entertaining images of life in rural Quebec. His closely observed images, which give us an understanding of the lives of nineteenth-century Québécois, remain unrivaled in Canadian art, and with The Toll Gate we have a fascinating example.

During the nineteenth century, roads in Canada were built by private entrepreneurs rather than the government. This meant that sections of the roads were subject to tolls. The toll rates are posted on the side of the gatehouse in this image—in English and French, reflecting the bilingual status of Quebec. Both pedestrians and those using horse-drawn conveyances were subject to tolls. This can be seen in the painting, which includes a turnstile for pedestrians and an open gate for horse-drawn conveyances.

Krieghoff brought a remarkable attention to detail to his images, and The Toll Gate is no exception. During the nineteenth century, large-scale windows were prohibitively expensive, and the success of this toll gate is clearly illustrated by the expansive window set into the wall of the toll house. Although this is obviously a winter scene—note the precisely rendered snowpack and the icicles on the toll house—there are signs that it has been some time since the last snowfall. The road, with its potholes, shows signs of extensive use, and the gravel bin (at the right of the composition) is surmounted by snow, suggesting that it has not been used for some time. Krieghoff includes other precise details in the painting: the axe beside the woodpile, the church in the distance, the latter perhaps hinting at the sin occurring as the men on the sleigh run the toll gate without paying.

The distress that this crime is causing the toll men is evident in the lad raising his arms by the turnstile, the older man propped up by his crutch and the barking dog. The disdain that the three men on the sleigh have for the idea of paying the toll is also revealed in their actions. At the front of the sleigh, the driver urges the horse on with a whip. Behind him, the second man thumbs his nose at the toll men. Lastly, the man at the rear of the sleigh raises a bottle of alcohol in mock salute. The speed of the sleigh is conveyed by the two puffs of steam that emerge from the horse’s nostrils. Krieghoff has also emphasized the importance of the errant sleigh and its riders by highlighting them in sunlight.

The fact that this vividly detailed scene is almost certainly a complete invention by Krieghoff demonstrates his exceptional skills as a narrative painter. His minute attention to detail and strong visual storytelling make The Toll Gate as vital today as it was more than 150 years ago.

We thank Ian M. Thom, Senior Curator—Historical at the Vancouver Art Gallery from 1988 to 2018, for contributing the above essay.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars