Alan Klinkhoff Gallery proudly presents an important selection of fine works by John Little, one of Canada's foremost post World War ll urban artists.
Alan Klinkhoff
We are proud to offer for your purchase a fine selection of paintings by John Little, an artist who must be considered one of the foremost post World War ll urban artists in Canada.
The 1950s and through the 1970s were extremely important decades in the social and economic history of Quebec and Montreal as well as other regions across Canada.
The World’s Fair (Expo 67) and the Olympics (Summer 1976) became catalysts to invest in development projects including a massive demolition of older buildings, streets and even neighbourhoods in the city accompanied by equally massive development of the suburbs in all directions outside of the city core, major investments in highway infrastructure, the Montreal metro system, Place des Arts, Place Ville Marie, Place Bonaventure, and the Port Royal among other major landmarks. This period of rapid development was prosperous for the city. Many projects were considered controversial at the time but prevailed because of their alignment with Mayor Jean Drapeau’s plan for urban renewal.. Interestingly, with the evolution of the city, the suburbs, traffic congestion caused by the commute suburbanisation caused, contemporary urban planning is reversing the exit of urban dwellers.
From his earliest days as an artist Little had taken a keen and critical interest in development projects underway during this period of transformation. His work often reflected his desire to preserve the streets. As an artist the best he could do was to preserve the memories of the various streets and neighbourhoods before major projects eradicated them forever. Little would regularly find inspiration in the announcements of new developments of apartment complexes, parks, commercial buildings and highways and also observation of demolition of small buildings , even houses of vintage, motivated him to paint them a particular area for the only conservation he could offer. As the “material” of interest for Little to paint disappeared from the urban landscape , Little revisited his archives of photographs and sketches and found renewed inspiration compositing work from those sources.
Occasionally, Little would offer critical insight into his intent by leaving an editorial remark on the back of a particular painting, citing the subject being as it appeared “in happier times” or “before the construction” of a certain building.
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John LittleRue Laval vers Rachel, Montreal, 1979Oil on canvas16 x 20 inLaval at Rachel are streets in Montreal’s Plateau Borough. The Plateau encapsulates perhaps what one might suggest is a stereotypical image of Montreal and its winter. This area is often referred to as the home of Montreal’s legendary triplexes, the neighbourhood represented by Les Belle Soeurs and the area where Borduas met with his colleagues leading to Le Refus Global. It is this generation of Little’s painting when he incorporates figures prominently for our visual entertainment in his compositions. They are very much of the...
40.6 x 50.8 cmCAD 22,500Laval at Rachel are streets in Montreal’s Plateau Borough. The Plateau encapsulates perhaps what one might suggest is a stereotypical image of Montreal and its winter. This area is often referred to as the home of Montreal’s legendary triplexes, the neighbourhood represented by Les Belle Soeurs and the area where Borduas met with his colleagues leading to Le Refus Global. It is this generation of Little’s painting when he incorporates figures prominently for our visual entertainment in his compositions. They are very much of the...
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John LittleRue Pontiac coin Bienville, Montreal, 1973Oil on canvas18 x 24 inOver the 50 years that have passed since Little painted this work, the scene has remained largely unchanged. Located in the Plateau area of the city, actually only a few blocks from Lafontaine Park where another of our Littles was painted, the view is looking southeast along Pontiac toward the Monastery of the Brothers of Jerusalem and Church of St Sacrement at Mount Royal Boulevard. The painting is very much a time capsule, a witness to the time and the place. As would have been...
45.7 x 61 cmSoldOver the 50 years that have passed since Little painted this work, the scene has remained largely unchanged. Located in the Plateau area of the city, actually only a few blocks from Lafontaine Park where another of our Littles was painted, the view is looking southeast along Pontiac toward the Monastery of the Brothers of Jerusalem and Church of St Sacrement at Mount Royal Boulevard. The painting is very much a time capsule, a witness to the time and the place. As would have been...
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John LittleParking Lot Rue O'Connell Quebec, 1968Oil on canvas12 x 16 inAs is characteristic in among the most interesting of Little’s paintings and what will likely be among his greatest legacy is his respect for the integrity of the urban core. Quebec City, like many North American cities, followed what was popular post WW ll terms of urban renewal, sacrificing the core where people formerly lived to a place where people would work. Part and parcel of the plan was to build an infrastructure of roads to facilitate the commute by car to and from the...
30.5 x 40.6 cmCAD 12,000As is characteristic in among the most interesting of Little’s paintings and what will likely be among his greatest legacy is his respect for the integrity of the urban core. Quebec City, like many North American cities, followed what was popular post WW ll terms of urban renewal, sacrificing the core where people formerly lived to a place where people would work. Part and parcel of the plan was to build an infrastructure of roads to facilitate the commute by car to and from the...
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John LittleBishop Street in Better Days, 2004Oil on canvas8 1/8 x 10 1/8 inThis composition describes a snowy view looking north up Bishop Street, above Montreal’s de Maisonneuve Boulevard toward Sherbrooke Street where on the left hand side is a view of The Church of St Andrew and St Paul and, on the right the west wall of The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Significantly, the painting was owned by a friend and neighbour of the artist who served as an elder at the Church. His mention of Jock Hutchison is simply one of his tributes to an...
20.5 x 25.5 cmSoldThis composition describes a snowy view looking north up Bishop Street, above Montreal’s de Maisonneuve Boulevard toward Sherbrooke Street where on the left hand side is a view of The Church of St Andrew and St Paul and, on the right the west wall of The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Significantly, the painting was owned by a friend and neighbour of the artist who served as an elder at the Church. His mention of Jock Hutchison is simply one of his tributes to an...
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