John Little
(1928-2024) ARCA
Previously Sold Works
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Lorne Crescent at Aylmer, Montreal
oil on board
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated “October 5, 1997” on the reverse
8 x 10 ins ( 20.3 x 25.4 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Septembre, rue Ste. Madeleine - Pointe St. Charles, Montreal
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled, dated 1980 and inscribed “Eugene ‘Gene’ Moore, Centrefield, Mtl. Royals, 1943, Lancaster, Texas, August 26, 1909” on the stretcher
24 x 30 ins ( 61 x 76.2 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Corner Grocery at Ste. Clotilde, Bourassa and Cote St. Paul
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled, dated 2010 and inscribed “Cote St. Paul District / Montreal”, “The grocery store has since become a private residence” and “Alfred ‘Pit’ Lepine / Centre Left and shot / Montreal Canadiens / Born in Ste. Anne de Bellevue P.Q. July 31, 1901” on stretcher
24 x 36 ins ( 61 x 91.4 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Rue Latourelle, Quebec
oil on canvas board
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1965 on the reverse
12 x 16 ins ( 30.5 x 40.6 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Rue Plessis vers Logan D’Autrefois, Montréal
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1987 on the stretcher on the reverse
8 x 10 ins ( 20.3 x 25.4 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Rue St. Paul-Eglise Bonsecours Marché Bonsecours, D’Autrefois Montreal
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1987 on the stretcher on the reverse
8 x 10 ins ( 20.3 x 25.4 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Rue St. Patrice, Quebec
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1969 on the stretcher
8 x 10.5 ins ( 20.3 x 26.7 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Skating Rink (circa 1966)
oil on canvas
signed lower right (signed by the artist in 2022); signed on the stretcher
16 x 20 ins ( 40.6 x 50.8 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Rue Champlain, Montreal
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1968 on the reverse
12 x 16 ins ( 30.5 x 40.6 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Untitled (House on the Hill)
oil on board
signed lower right
11.5 x 15.5 ins ( 29.2 x 39.4 cms )
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Looking Down Sainte-Ursule St. from Ste Genevieve St., Chalmers United Church on Left, Québec
oil on canvas
signed and dated 1960 lower right; titled on the reverse
24 x 30 in ( 61 x 76.2 cm )
Auction Estimate: $15,000.00 - $20,000.00
Price Realized $15,600.00
Sale date: May 21st 2024
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Rue de Bullion, Looking West Along Rue Marie-Anne
oil on canvas
signed lower right; titled and dated 2009 to the stretcher on the reverse; titled and dated to a gallery label on the reverse
10 x 15 in ( 25.4 x 38.1 cm )
Auction Estimate: $4,000.00 - $6,000.00
Price Realized $4,560.00
Sale date: May 21st 2024
JOHN GEOFFREY CARUTHERS LITTLE
Crescent St.
oil on canvas board
signed lower right; signed, titled, dated 1965 and inscribed "before demolition of S.E. corner (Themis Club), Montréal" on the reverse
12 x 16 in ( 30.5 x 40.6 cm )
Auction Estimate: $6,000.00 - $8,000.00
Price Realized $8,400.00
Sale date: August 20th 2024
JOHN LITTLE
Rue Lejeune près de Laurier, Montréal
oil on canvas board
signed lower right; signed, dated 1967 and inscribed "Rue Lejeune (I think) near Laurier, Montreal" on the reverse; titled as "Rue Lejeune près de Lauzier, Montréal" to the gallery label on the reverse
12 x 16 in ( 30.5 x 40.6 cm )
Auction Estimate: $5,000.00 - $7,000.00
Price Realized $5,040.00
Sale date: March 25th 2025
JOHN LITTLE
Rue St. Pierre, Montreal
oil on canvas
signed lower right; signed, titled and dated 1969 on the stretcher on the reverse
8 x 10 in ( 20.3 x 25.4 cm )
Auction Estimate: $4,000.00 - $6,000.00
Price Realized $4,080.00
Sale date: October 22nd 2024
Consignments
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John Little Biography
(1928-2024) ARCA
Born in Montreal, P.Q. in 1928. He studied two years at the Montreal Museum of Fine arts under Dr. Arthur Lismer and Goodridge Roberts. Subsequently he went to New York where he attended the Art Students' League under Will Barnet and Frank J. Reilley. It was also there in 1949 that he worked as an assistant to Mr. Ray Bailley on the now defunct comic strip "Bruce Gentry".
Returning to Montreal he became a draughtsman in his father's architectural firm (Luke & Little) in 1951. He married in 1953 and turned exclusively to painting. His street scenes won him wide acclaim. His paintings of old Montreal and Quebec City streets, houses and countryside were exhibited at the Watson Art Galleries.
During a solo exhibition at this gallery in 1957 the Montreal “Gazette” noted, "His vision is clear and his interpretation of his subjects is solid and literal. His buildings are solidly based, bear the marks of age and are recorded with a laudable attention to drawing. The last-mentioned quality apparently presents him no problems. His figures have animation, there is a convincing sense of movement in the crowds and the impression of traffic congestion in narrow streets is capitally conveyed .’’
Dorothy Pfeiffer reviewing his work in 1964 noted, "Those bemoaning the seemingly ruthless demolition of hundreds of Montreal's gracious old-world homes and other buildings, the disappearance in the name of progress of various little private nooks and parks, and the often callous disposal of dignified stone pillars and amusing cornices will gain nostalgic pleasure from John Little's show, for he had dedicated his painting to the preservation of such items for posterity. Yet so spirited and relaxed is his painting technique, that his work can in no manner today be labelled as merely documentary. He paints city streets ankle-deep in slush, where his not-quite-ripe olive green mixture carpets pavements with a mélange resembling Quebec limestone. He peoples his old streets and secluded sylvan sites with groups of today's spirited adults and children. Three important qualities it certainly contains: assurance, individuality and artistic honesty."
He has done covers for “Maclean's Magazine” in which his great sense of humour blends with his artistic abilities to depict Canadians at work and play. He is represented in the National Gallery of Canada, Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Sir George Williams University Collection of Art, and many private collections.
John Little became an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1961, and then a full member of the Academy in 1973. He is a highly respected artist, and his works are very much sought-after in today's market for important Canadian art.
Source: "A Dictionary of Canadian Artists, Volume I: A-F", compiled by Colin S. MacDonald, Canadian Paperbacks Publishing Ltd, Ottawa, 1977
