Herbert Johannes Josef Siebner
(Canadian/German, 1925–2003)
It Happened in the Park
1965
Acrylic on canvas on board
Frame: 33.5 × 39.5 in. (85.1 × 100.3 cm)
Provenance: Collection of Commander C. Garfield Dixon, C.M. (Order of Canada recipient)
Executed in 1965, It Happened in the Park is a masterwork from Herbert Siebner's most celebrated mid-1960s period. Painted during a landmark year marked by his major retrospective at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the composition captures an atmospheric, enigmatic narrative: a solitary, bone-white figure reclines upon a rich expanse of scraped green grass, framed by bold architectural structures and a deep blue oval pond. The tactile surface, heavy with impasto and carved linework, creates a rich physical texture that bridges European Expressionism with graphic Canadian modernism.
Mid-1960s works by Siebner represent the peak of his career, where his rigorous European training fully merged with the spirit of the West Coast art scene. The provocative title gives the painting a cinematic, storybook quality, leaving the mysterious narrative open to interpretation. Adding to its historical importance, this work carries distinguished provenance from the private collection of Commander C. Garfield Dixon, a distinguished Order of Canada recipient and notable Canadian art patron.
Herbert Siebner was a pioneer of Canadian modernism, credited with introducing German Expressionism to the West Coast after studying under Max Pechstein at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. In 1971, he co-founded the legendary Victoria Limners Society alongside Maxwell Bates, Myfanwy Pavelic, Karl Spreitz, and Elza Mayhew, creating a vital artistic movement in British Columbia. Over the course of his vibrant career, Siebner held more than 130 solo exhibitions across North America and Europe, cementing his status as one of Canada's most versatile and influential 20th-century artists.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Held over 130 solo exhibitions worldwide during his lifetime
Elected Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A., 1973)
Co-Founder and President, The Victoria Limners Society (1971)
Recipient, Canada Council Senior Arts Fellowship Grant (1962)
Canadian National Award in Graphic Arts (1956)
Canadian Centennial Medal Recipient (1967)
Retrospective & Solo Exhibitions, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1955, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1984, 2003)
Selected Permanent Collections:
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, ON)
Collection of Princess Fernanda von Thurn und Taxis
City of Berlin Collection (Berlin, Germany)
Confederation Centre Art Gallery (Charlottetown, PEI)
Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, WA)
University of Victoria Archives & Special Collections (Victoria, BC)
Feckless Collection (Vancouver, BC)
Herbert Johannes Josef Siebner
(Canadian/German, 1925–2003)
It Happened in the Park
1965
Acrylic on canvas on board
Frame: 33.5 × 39.5 in. (85.1 × 100.3 cm)
Provenance: Collection of Commander C. Garfield Dixon, C.M. (Order of Canada recipient)
Executed in 1965, It Happened in the Park is a masterwork from Herbert Siebner's most celebrated mid-1960s period. Painted during a landmark year marked by his major retrospective at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the composition captures an atmospheric, enigmatic narrative: a solitary, bone-white figure reclines upon a rich expanse of scraped green grass, framed by bold architectural structures and a deep blue oval pond. The tactile surface, heavy with impasto and carved linework, creates a rich physical texture that bridges European Expressionism with graphic Canadian modernism.
Mid-1960s works by Siebner represent the peak of his career, where his rigorous European training fully merged with the spirit of the West Coast art scene. The provocative title gives the painting a cinematic, storybook quality, leaving the mysterious narrative open to interpretation. Adding to its historical importance, this work carries distinguished provenance from the private collection of Commander C. Garfield Dixon, a distinguished Order of Canada recipient and notable Canadian art patron.
Herbert Siebner was a pioneer of Canadian modernism, credited with introducing German Expressionism to the West Coast after studying under Max Pechstein at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. In 1971, he co-founded the legendary Victoria Limners Society alongside Maxwell Bates, Myfanwy Pavelic, Karl Spreitz, and Elza Mayhew, creating a vital artistic movement in British Columbia. Over the course of his vibrant career, Siebner held more than 130 solo exhibitions across North America and Europe, cementing his status as one of Canada's most versatile and influential 20th-century artists.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Held over 130 solo exhibitions worldwide during his lifetime
Elected Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A., 1973)
Co-Founder and President, The Victoria Limners Society (1971)
Recipient, Canada Council Senior Arts Fellowship Grant (1962)
Canadian National Award in Graphic Arts (1956)
Canadian Centennial Medal Recipient (1967)
Retrospective & Solo Exhibitions, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1955, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1984, 2003)
Selected Permanent Collections:
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, ON)
Collection of Princess Fernanda von Thurn und Taxis
City of Berlin Collection (Berlin, Germany)
Confederation Centre Art Gallery (Charlottetown, PEI)
Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, WA)
University of Victoria Archives & Special Collections (Victoria, BC)
Feckless Collection (Vancouver, BC)
