A renowned western Canadian artist's portrait of a native storyteller, kept in a private art collection in England for years, has found its way home.
Three weeks ago, Loch Gallery director Ian Loch learned of the chalk pastel 'Is He Here?', by Nicholas de Grandmaison, depicting a Peigan tribe native who was grandson of Chief Crow Eagle.

Ian Loch, director of the Loch Gallery, holds Nicholas de Grandmaison's "Is He Here?"

The owner of the piece lives in London and inherited it from his father, who in turn had received the artwork from a Calgary relative.

When the new owner expressed a wish to sell, Loch set to work to bring the pastel back to its roots.
"It's an incredible portrait and it's always exciting to be able to repatriate major works back to Canada," said Loch.
Nicholas de Grandmaison was born in Russia, but is well-known for his prolific paintings, drawings and pastels of Western Canada between the 1920s and 1950s.

While he primarily created portraits of wealthy families to earn his living, capturing the presence and soul of First Nations elders was de Grandmaison's passion, said Loch.

"Nicholas is one of very few Canadian painters who got to record western Canadian life. He got permission to go into a lot of reserves and paint elders when few other artists did," he said.
The artist was known for returning to his subjects again and again.

But Loch said he thinks the portrait now at his downtown Calgary gallery was probably created in the 1930s, thanks largely to its original framing with two sheets of glass preserving the chalk pastel.

The artwork is on display at the Loch Gallery in the de Grandmaison exhibit, which continues until July 16. The piece is for sale.

Despite the estimated $26,000 price tag, Loch said he's confident a new home will be found locally.
In May, another de Grandmaison portrait of a Cluny chief was the highlight of an auction of artwork owned by iconic Alberta oilman Doc Seaman. It sold for $51,000.

Another portrait by de Grandmaison from the Loch Gallery is also for sale in the annual Western Art Auction taking place at the BMO Centre tonight.

The oil pastel drawing of a native child is expected to fetch between $14,000 and $16,000.
Though Loch has handled many works by de Grandmaison, he says he still gets a thrill from uncrating a new discovery and sharing it with Calgary's art lovers.

"It's amazing how well Nicholas is known and remembered in Calgary. Whenever we show his paintings, we get 80-year-old grandmothers coming in and telling stories of Nicholas. He was a real charmer," Loch said.

By Sarah Mcginnis, Calgary Herald, July 9, 2009