William Blair Bruce (Canadian 1859-1906)
The Stora Sjöfallet Waterfall, Lappland, Solar Eclipse August 9, 1896
oil on canvas on board, signed and dated lower left "W. Blair Bruce 96"
William Blair Bruce met and married the Swedish sculptor Carolina Benedicks in 1888, while on his return to Paris. The young couple subsequently spent their summers in Sweden, eventually establishing an artists’ colony in Gotland. In 1896, the Swedish Tourist Association organized an expedition to experience the August 9 total solar eclipse in the north of Sweden. William and Caroline were among the 13 hardy participants who were housed in a cottage built in 1890 near the waterfall site, which is still in use. In May of 1897, the Swedish Arts Association hosted an exhibition of 130 of Bruce’s paintings including 35 works based on the solar eclipse expedition. It is very likely that The Stora Sjöfallet Waterfall was included in that exhibition.
Susanna Carlston, Chief Curator of the Brucebo Foundation in Gotland, confirms that there are approximately 40 Bruce sketches from the Lappland trip in their collection.
Size: 10 ½ x 13 in (with frame 15 ½ x 18 ½ in)
J19269
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