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Maxwell Bennett Bates
(Canadian, 1906–1980)
Marionette [15]
1976
Hand-coloured monoprint on paper (Unique work)
Signed and dated "MAXWELL BATES 1976" lower right
13.5 × 17.75 in. (34.3 × 45.1 cm)
Executed in 1976, Marionette [15] is a compelling, uniquely hand-worked piece on paper from Maxwell Bates' celebrated Marionette series. The composition stages three theatrical archetypes in a enigmatic tableau: a central crowned king-like figure with a ruffled collar, flanked by a woman in a blue polka-dot bodice and a whispering, yellow-clad jester in a floppy blue cap. Combining bold printed monotype outlines with rich, hand-applied washes of crimson, cobalt blue, ochre, and green, the work captures Bates' signature fusion of graphic power and psychological satire.
The theme of marionettes, puppets, and theatrical masquerade was central to Bates' late work during his Victoria years. Influenced by European Expressionist masters like Max Beckmann, James Ensor, and Georges Rouault—under whom he absorbed the power of theatrical allegory—Bates used costumed performers and puppets as metaphors for social dynamics, human vulnerability, and the absurdity of life's staged roles. As a monoprint, this piece is a one-of-a-kind (1/1) original work that bridges printmaking and painting, demonstrating his remarkable dexterity with line and color wash.
Born in Calgary, Maxwell Bates was an architect, painter, poet, and pioneer of Canadian Modernism who helped transform the Western Canadian art scene. In 1971, he became the co-founder and first President of the Victoria Limners Society alongside Herbert Siebner, establishing a vital collective for contemporary artists on the West Coast. Awarded the Order of Canada in 1980, Bates remains one of the most significant and independent voices in 20th-century Canadian art history.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Appointed Member of the Order of Canada (C.M., 1980)
Co-Founder and First President, The Victoria Limners Society (1971)
Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.), University of Calgary (1971)
Recipient, Canadian Centennial Medal (1967)
Major Retrospective Exhibitions at Vancouver Art Gallery (1973), Winnipeg Art Gallery (1968), and Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1982)
Selected Permanent Collections:
Tate Gallery (London, UK)
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
Canada Council Art Bank (Ottawa, ON)
Feckless Collection (Vancouver, BC)
Maxwell Bennett Bates
(Canadian, 1906–1980)
Marionette [15]
1976
Hand-coloured monoprint on paper (Unique work)
Signed and dated "MAXWELL BATES 1976" lower right
13.5 × 17.75 in. (34.3 × 45.1 cm)
Executed in 1976, Marionette [15] is a compelling, uniquely hand-worked piece on paper from Maxwell Bates' celebrated Marionette series. The composition stages three theatrical archetypes in a enigmatic tableau: a central crowned king-like figure with a ruffled collar, flanked by a woman in a blue polka-dot bodice and a whispering, yellow-clad jester in a floppy blue cap. Combining bold printed monotype outlines with rich, hand-applied washes of crimson, cobalt blue, ochre, and green, the work captures Bates' signature fusion of graphic power and psychological satire.
The theme of marionettes, puppets, and theatrical masquerade was central to Bates' late work during his Victoria years. Influenced by European Expressionist masters like Max Beckmann, James Ensor, and Georges Rouault—under whom he absorbed the power of theatrical allegory—Bates used costumed performers and puppets as metaphors for social dynamics, human vulnerability, and the absurdity of life's staged roles. As a monoprint, this piece is a one-of-a-kind (1/1) original work that bridges printmaking and painting, demonstrating his remarkable dexterity with line and color wash.
Born in Calgary, Maxwell Bates was an architect, painter, poet, and pioneer of Canadian Modernism who helped transform the Western Canadian art scene. In 1971, he became the co-founder and first President of the Victoria Limners Society alongside Herbert Siebner, establishing a vital collective for contemporary artists on the West Coast. Awarded the Order of Canada in 1980, Bates remains one of the most significant and independent voices in 20th-century Canadian art history.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Appointed Member of the Order of Canada (C.M., 1980)
Co-Founder and First President, The Victoria Limners Society (1971)
Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.), University of Calgary (1971)
Recipient, Canadian Centennial Medal (1967)
Major Retrospective Exhibitions at Vancouver Art Gallery (1973), Winnipeg Art Gallery (1968), and Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1982)
Selected Permanent Collections:
Tate Gallery (London, UK)
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
Canada Council Art Bank (Ottawa, ON)
Feckless Collection (Vancouver, BC)
