Ripon Cathedral, 1909

This etching by Clarence A. Gagnon portrays Ripon Cathedral located in the city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. The artist strategically places the River Skell in the foreground, gracefully meandering along the composition, providing access to houses positioned behind a delicate wooden fence at the center of the artwork. It is in this setting, behind a light mist, that the cathedral is delicately and meticulously outlined with fine, delicate lines.

An interesting aspect of the composition lies in the fact that the cathedral isn’t the central focus; rather, it's the view of the cathedral from the opposite shore of the river. This clever perspective allows the artist to seamlessly blend nature, daily life, and architecture. Additionally, the recurring motif of the tree, appearing at different planes throughout the composition, highlights the artist's intentional and expressive use of line.

There are two variations of this etching, referred to as State I and II. The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) catalogue Clarence Gagnon, Dreaming the Landscape provides the following description of the different states;


I The cathedral is precisely drawn and clearly visible in all its detail. 

II The detail of the cathedral is now obscured by a mist, and foliage has been added to the tips of the tree at right of centre. 
[1]The etching presented here is State II. 

A proof of this etching Ripon Cathedral is in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, (purchased in 1926), the collection of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg and the collection of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec 

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Footnote: 

[1] Hélène Sicotte et al., Clarence Gagnon, 1881-1942 : Dreaming the Landscape (Québec: Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, 2006), cat. 13., 390.

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“He [Clarence Gagnon] is quite simply the best of the early Canadian painter-etchers, recognized immediately as an exceptional talent on his works' first being exhibited in Paris and at home” the distinguished print dealer Jan Johnson wrote as an introduction in 2010 when our family sold The Madeleine Boyer Collection of Clarence A Gagnon etchings.

Jan continued, “Other (most slightly later) Canadian etchers trying to gain a foothold in Europe must have envied the apparently effortless way he attracted favourable publicity, solicitous dealers, and grateful collectors. His recognition as a printmaker preceded any fame as a painter”

“The development of the artist as a printmaker did not require a lifetime, but was rather a bright flare of natural ability that ran its course largely between 1904 and 1910, with one brilliant return to the medium in 1917 [...] In this short time, however, he achieved astonishing mastery of different etching techniques and matured in his ability to use the medium to expressive effect. His gift for draughtsmanship translated readily into an etched line more supple and suggestive than that of many a more experienced printmaker...”

“Gagnon does not appear to have made editions in an orderly fashion, but rather responded to market demand for an image, and spread his printing over many years. However, the fact that he painstakingly printed them himself, while conducting a painting career, and that he was of modest means at that stage, meant that their numbers were never high.” [1]

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Footnote: 

[1] Jan Johnson, "The Madeleine Boyer Collection of Clarence Gagnon Etchings," Galerie Alan Klinkhoff, January 20, 2011, https://www.klinkhoff.ca/blog/category/1/1548/.