Canoes, Harbour

About this object

History of use

Based on stylistic characteristics, Doris Shadbolt (1975) attributes these watercolours to about 1895. The scenes are mainly from the Victoria area, and the Fraser Valley. They predate Emily Carr's trips to coastal indigenous villages, but the prevalence of canoes and forests attest to her early interest in these themes, which she developed fully in her later paintings.

Cultural context

Canadian art; late 19th century watercolours.

Physical description

Small, rectangular shaped, watercolour study with two Northwest Coast style canoes in foreground and two tent-like structures on or behind canoes. There is a figure bent over near structures. Bushes behind are yellow at top, orange to centre and green at bottom. Bushes and canoes reflect in water. On right, background shows a distant purple hill with blue wash sky above. Image mounted on a light brown backing card.