Joseph Francis (Joe) Plaskett
(Canadian, 1918–2014)
Notre-Dame across the Seine, Paris
1964
Oil on canvas
Canvas: 19.75 × 39.5 in. (50.2 × 100.3 cm)
Framed: 26.25 × 46 in. (66.7 × 116.8 cm)
Inscriptions: Signed and dated by the artist in the lower-right corner: Plaskett 64.
Description
Executed in 1964, this panoramic oil painting is a luminous, highly desirable example of Joseph Plaskett’s mid-career Parisian landscapes. The composition features an atmospheric, wide-angle view across the shimmering currents of the Seine River toward the Île de la Cité, with the unmistakable twin towers and soaring central spire of the Notre-Dame Cathedral anchoring the horizon. Plaskett handles the scene with his signature romanticized impressionism, utilizing loose, flickering brushwork and a subtle tonal palette of slate blues, soft creams, ochres, and faint pastel pinks to capture the fleeting quality of European light.
Plaskett made Paris his permanent creative base in 1957, operating out of a historic 15th-century house in the Marais district. Works from this specific 1960s period represent a total mastery of his figurative style, capturing the romance and daily poetry of the city with a warm, humane sensibility. Large-scale, horizontally structured river views from this decade are among the most sought-after subjects by institutional collectors and private enthusiasts of mid-century Canadian modernism.
Major Accolades & Recognition
Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C., 2001) for lifelong excellence in the field of visual art.
Recipient of the inaugural Emily Carr Scholarship (1946), nominated by Lawren Harris and recommended by A.Y. Jackson.
Elected a Full Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.) and the Canadian Group of Painters (C.G.P.).
Posthumously honored by the Préfet de Paris in 2016 with a permanent commemorative historical plaque outside his historic home at 2 rue Pecquay.
Founder of the Joseph Plaskett Foundation (2004), which funds major annual traveling scholarships for emerging Canadian painters studying in Europe.
Selected Permanent Collections
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Art Gallery of Ontario / AGO (Toronto, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Winnipeg Art Gallery / WAG (Winnipeg, MB)
Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, NB)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
Joseph Francis (Joe) Plaskett
(Canadian, 1918–2014)
Notre-Dame across the Seine, Paris
1964
Oil on canvas
Canvas: 19.75 × 39.5 in. (50.2 × 100.3 cm)
Framed: 26.25 × 46 in. (66.7 × 116.8 cm)
Inscriptions: Signed and dated by the artist in the lower-right corner: Plaskett 64.
Description
Executed in 1964, this panoramic oil painting is a luminous, highly desirable example of Joseph Plaskett’s mid-career Parisian landscapes. The composition features an atmospheric, wide-angle view across the shimmering currents of the Seine River toward the Île de la Cité, with the unmistakable twin towers and soaring central spire of the Notre-Dame Cathedral anchoring the horizon. Plaskett handles the scene with his signature romanticized impressionism, utilizing loose, flickering brushwork and a subtle tonal palette of slate blues, soft creams, ochres, and faint pastel pinks to capture the fleeting quality of European light.
Plaskett made Paris his permanent creative base in 1957, operating out of a historic 15th-century house in the Marais district. Works from this specific 1960s period represent a total mastery of his figurative style, capturing the romance and daily poetry of the city with a warm, humane sensibility. Large-scale, horizontally structured river views from this decade are among the most sought-after subjects by institutional collectors and private enthusiasts of mid-century Canadian modernism.
Major Accolades & Recognition
Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C., 2001) for lifelong excellence in the field of visual art.
Recipient of the inaugural Emily Carr Scholarship (1946), nominated by Lawren Harris and recommended by A.Y. Jackson.
Elected a Full Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.) and the Canadian Group of Painters (C.G.P.).
Posthumously honored by the Préfet de Paris in 2016 with a permanent commemorative historical plaque outside his historic home at 2 rue Pecquay.
Founder of the Joseph Plaskett Foundation (2004), which funds major annual traveling scholarships for emerging Canadian painters studying in Europe.
Selected Permanent Collections
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Art Gallery of Ontario / AGO (Toronto, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Winnipeg Art Gallery / WAG (Winnipeg, MB)
Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, NB)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
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