10.25 x 13.5 in (26 x 34.3 cm) including frame
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith was an English-born Canadian painter recognized for his urban street scenes and landscapes produced in both oil and watercolour across Canada and England. His Canadian subjects ranged from bustling city streetscapes to monumental Rocky Mountain vistas. In his later years, Bell-Smith painted at Bon Echo on Mazinaw Lake in southeastern Ontario. During the 1910s and early 1920s, the Bon Echo Inn, operated by Flora MacDonald Denison, functioned as a gathering place for Canadian writers, intellectuals, and artists. The landmark feature of the area, Mazinaw Rock, became a recurring subject for several artists of the period, including C.W. Jefferys, Frank Carmichael, and A.Y. Jackson.
Dated 1921, Through the Birches From the Inn - Bon Echo depicts Mazinaw Lake framed by a stand of white birches and evergreens along the shore. In the distance, the sheer granite cliff rises above the water, with a small boat visible in the middle ground. Painted on paperboard, the work demonstrates Bell-Smith’s direct, observational landscape approach, rendering the scene in warm impressionistic tones to record the summer light across the cliff face and water.
The painting was acquired directly from Bell-Smith by H. Gerald Wade (1874–1947), who had moved from Ontario to Winnipeg in the early twentieth century. Wade, whose brother-in-law Harry Willson operated Willson’s Stationery in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, was a collector of Canadian books and correspondent with cultural figures across the country; his papers and correspondence are preserved in the University of Manitoba Archives. Acquired alongside a small sketch of Lake Louise by Bell-Smith (subsequently donated to the Winnipeg Art Gallery), the painting has remained in the family by descent to Wade’s grandson, David Malaher.
The Artist;
H. Gerald Wade, Winnipeg (acquired from the artist);
By descent to the present owner, David Malaher, Whistler.
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith (1846-1923) was born in London, England and died in Toronto, Ontario. His earliest training was under his artist father. He attended the South Kensington School of Art under Alexander Hamilton until his family emigrated to Montreal, Quebec in 1867. Later, he studied in Paris at the Academie Colarossi under Joseph-Paul Blanc, Gustave Courtois, and Edmond-Louis Dupain. The artist arrived in London, Ontario in 1881 where he was appointed Art Director of Alma College (St.Thomas) and, the following year, Drawing Master at Central Public School. In 1888 he moved to Toronto where he was named principal of the western branch of the Toronto Art School. He continued to serve at Alma College until 1901. Bell-Smith was a founding member of the Society of Canadian Artists, the Ontario Society of Artists, and the Western Art League. He was elected an Academician in the Royal Canadian Academy and played important roles in many local and national artistic associations. His work was very popular in his lifetime: he painted portrait, genre, and landscape subjects in both oil and watercolour in the impressionistic, picturesque, and sublime styles of the last century. Bell-Smith also won many international honors in his career.
Major Fall Fine Art Auction
November 12 - December 3, 2026
661 Wall St, Winnipeg MB
(204) 255-5690
mayberryfineart.com
[email protected]
Contact us to make an appointment to preview this item or to sell similar works.
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Bidding Range
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Increment
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|---|---|
| $0.00 - $50.00 | $1.00 |
| $50.00 - $100.00 | $5.00 |
| $100.00 - $500.00 | $10.00 |
| $500.00 - $1,000.00 | $25.00 |
| $1,000.00 - $2,500.00 | $50.00 |
| $2,500.00 - $10,000.00 | $100.00 |
| $10,000.00 - $20,000.00 | $200.00 |
| $20,000.00 - $50,000.00 | $500.00 |
| $50,000.00 - $100,000.00 | $1,000.00 |
| $100,000.00 - $300,000.00 | $5,000.00 |
| $300,000.00 - $1,000,000.00 | $10,000.00 |
| $1,000,000.00 - $2,000,000.00 | $25,000.00 |
| $2,000,000.00+ | $50,000.00 |
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