WALLACE MacASKILL (1887-1956) Canadian art photograph Nova Scotia
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Directory: Fine Art: Prints: Photographs: Pre 1930: Item # 1451186
Directory: Fine Art: Prints: Photographs: Pre 1930: Item # 1451186
Jon Berg Fine Art and More
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2311 Schader Dr. #310
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-453-5620
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View Seller Profile
2311 Schader Dr. #310
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-453-5620
Guest Book
$100.00
Artistic, soft-focus photograph of two sailing vessels, titled in pencil at left margin "Gray Dawn", and signed at lower right margin by the noted Nova Scotia, Canada photographer WALLACE R. MacASKILL (1887-1956). This well-known image, in the Pictorialist tradition in which MacAskill was taught, dates to the year 1921. It is in soft-focus, an impressionist technique which values atmosphere over realistic accuracy. Note three white spots at upper left. MacAskill is considered Nova Scotia's best-known photographer. Born in Cape Breton Island in 1887, he learned to sail while very young, and by 1907 he was in New York studying photography at the Wade School of Photography. It is said that a tourist to Nova Scotia gave a camera to the young man and that gesture led to his avid interest in photography. The artist's skills gained increasing recognition from about 1920 through 1940, many of his images published, (some not credited) and used as general advertising for the province and to promote tourism. He moved to Halifax in 1915 and opened a successful commercial business there centering on marine photography. Most images were taken in Nova Scotia but a small number were of Newfoundland and New Brunswick. During the 1930's MacAskill received yachting awards. MacAskill is said to have destroyed 99 out of 100 images he took. As it stands, an archive of 4,600 images is maintained, suggesting that a half million images could have been created by this photographer. See more information online. **Allow for reflections in several images.**
