10 Lawren Harris works to be auctioned off at Heffel fall art sale

TORONTO – Ten Lawren Harris works will be on the auction block in November, including a painting that could challenge the record for the most expensive work of art ever sold in Canada.

The Group of Seven leader’s 1926 painting “Mountain Forms” is expected to fetch between $3 million and $5 million, according to the Heffel Fine Art Auction House, which adds that is a “conservative” estimate.

The current record holder is Paul Kane’s “Scene in the Northwest – Portrait,” which sold in 2002 for $5,062,500, including a buyer’s premium.

Heffel conservatively estimates the 10 Harris works will sell for a total of between $5.8 million to $8.9 million.

Other highlights in Heffel’s fall auction, scheduled for Nov. 23 in Toronto, include 90 works from the collection of Peter and Joanne Brown, including paintings by Tom Thomson, Emily Carr and Group of Seven member A.J. Casson.

Six Harris works are among the top 10 most valuable Canadian paintings ever sold at auction, including “Mountain and Glacier,” which went for $4.6 million.

There’s extra attention on this auction given that the work of the Brantford, Ont.-born painter was featured in “The Idea of North: The Paintings of Lawren Harris,” an exhibit curated by actor-comedian Steve Martin. It was staged in Los Angeles, Boston and Toronto.