Born into a wealthy family in Montreal, Helen McNicoll took classes at the Art Association of Montreal, then went abroad to study and travel in England, France and Italy. On one of her several visits to France, she stayed in Paris for three months and painted in the surrounding countryside. As a consequence of McNicoll’s exposure to the French Impressionists, her palette was transformed by their light-filled hues and emphasis on atmosphere. In her sketching trips to the French countryside, she was attracted to natural subjects such as these humble farm dwellings washed by the sun. To the right is a pile of hay, a subject made iconic by the French Impressionists, as in Claude Monet’s famous Haystacks. In Farm Yard in Brittany, McNicoll captures the warmth of the sun and the tranquility that pervades the scene. Her handling of the delicate interplay of light and shadow is assured, as is her fluid brushwork.

McNicoll died suddenly in England in 1915, at the height of her career. She is renowned as one of Canada’s finest Impressionist painters, and her rare and beautiful work is much sought after by collectors.

Heffel is sponsoring the Helen McNicoll show at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec which closes January 4th, 2025.