Interior with Two Ladies - Louis de Niverville - 1970s
An exceptional original oil on canvas by celebrated Canadian modernist Louis de Niverville (1933–2019) entitled Interior with Two Ladies, signed lower right and retaining its original Art Rental Service of The Art Gallery of Toronto exhibition label to the reverse. A masterfully balanced composition, the painting presents two elegantly stylized female figures occupying a richly imagined interior, where patterned textiles, sculptural still-life elements, and an expansive landscape beyond an open window merge into a single poetic space. Executed with de Niverville’s distinctive flattened perspective and sophisticated use of color, the work reflects the artist’s ability to blur the boundaries between reality and imagination while maintaining a remarkable sense of harmony and quiet narrative. Warm terracotta, lavender, emerald, ochre, and deep charcoal tones create an atmosphere that is both theatrical and intimate. The composition rewards prolonged viewing, revealing subtle relationships between architecture, figure, and landscape that became hallmarks of the artist’s mature work. The painting remains housed in its original thin gilt gallery frame and is signed lower right. Of particular significance, the reverse retains its original Art Rental Service of The Art Gallery of Toronto label identifying the work as Interior with Two Ladies, listing the artist as Louis de Niverville, the medium as oil, and noting representation through the esteemed Cameron Gallery. Such original institutional labels provide valuable period provenance and reinforce the work’s exhibition and gallery history. Louis de Niverville occupies a unique position within Canadian post-war art. Best known for his dreamlike figurative paintings, collages, murals, and public commissions, he developed an unmistakable visual language rooted in memory, symbolism, and imagination. His work has been exhibited extensively throughout Canada and is represented in the permanent collections of the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Canada Council Art Bank, and numerous other important public and private collections. An outstanding example of Canadian Modernism, this painting would make a significant addition to any collection of twentieth-century Canadian art. Artist Louis de Niverville (1933–2019) Title Interior with Two Ladies Medium Oil on canvas Signature Signed lower right Provenance Retains the original Art Rental Service of The Art Gallery of Toronto label verso identifying the work as Interior with Two Ladies, represented through Cameron Gallery, Toronto. Frame Original period gilt gallery frame. Condition Presented in very good vintage condition with light, age-appropriate wear to the original frame.