Terence Michael Shortt (Canadian, 1910-1986)
Untitled: Taking Wing
watercolour on paper heightened in white
(Sight): 24” high x 20 wide
(Framed): 39 ⅛″ high x 32 ⅛″ wide
Description: Original watercolour on card of two ring neck pheasants taking wing, by respected and listed Canadian artist and ornithologist Terence Michael Shortt (1910-1986). A professionally trained artist and personal friend of Group of Seven founder Frederick Varley, Shortt was instrumental in the Royal Ontario Museums’ world class department (over 2674 bird specimens are from his 24 world-wide expeditions alone). Praised for his illustrative accuracy Shortt has published numerous books on the topic.
Markings: signed lower right, TMShortt
Condition: Excellent – the pheasants are bright and the presentation clean and ready for display – you just do not see original paintings of this size by Shortt – this is an important offering.
For accuracy: there is a stable crease in the background centre, this is not immediately visible and is largely in the background and entirely overshadowed by the stunning birds (see pics). There are a couple of paint spots on the matte lower right and soft lower corner in the matte – these are outside the artwork and not considered damage to the item. The pheasants are bright and the presentation clean and ready for display.
Artist Biography: Terence Michael Shortt (Canada, 1910-1986) Artist and Ornithologist. Trained by personal friend of the Group of Seven founder Frederick Varley, Shortt was instrumental in the Royal Ontario Museums’ world class department of Orthography bringing over 2,674 bird specimens from his 24 world-wide expeditions. Shortt had published numerous publications on the topic and is praised for his illustrative accuracy.
