(1924-1990) is renowned across Canada for his eclectic and dynamic body of work. 

In the 1950s, Town established his reputation with a series of abstract monotypes (called ). He would exhibit these works at the Venice Biennale to great fanfare in Europe and at home. By the 1960s, he was considered the most famous artist in Canada. One of the most remarkable characteristics of his career is his alternating between working in figuration and abstraction. 

From 1972 through 1977, Town created his "Vale Variations" series, a body of work that drew inspiration from a single pen and ink drawing by his friend, Florence Vale. These drawings typically have three key representational elements; nude silhouettes (often evocative of Matisse), angels, and a mountain. While the color and details varied, there was consistently a playful exploration of form and line work.

"Vale Variations #193" is a paradigm from this body of work, completed in the last leg of the series. Rendered in dramatic washes of India ink, this drawing reimagines Vale's original work, "," infusing it with a remarkable dynamism. 

In this iteration, stylized figures emerge as negative space, their forms stretched, elongated, and exaggerated through the surrounding black ink. Town introduced this bold and silhouetted style in the late 1970s, .

Bound by the subject matter, "Vale Variations" offered the artist an avenue to challenge his expansive imagination and unwavering commitment to his artistic evolution.

Today, Town's work is represented in prestigious collections across North America including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), and the Guggenheim (New York).

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"Vale Variations #193"

Pen and ink on paper

Canada, 1977

Signed and dated by the artist, lower left

28"H 22.5"W (visible)    

35"H 28.75"W (framed)

Very good condition.

Provenance: The Estate of Harold Town

Note: the price is $3,950 CAD