Post-War Canadian Folk Art Auction Features Important Works by Maud Lewis, Joe Norris, and Angus Trudeau

Online-only auction of 72 curated lots of Canadian folk art closes live beginning at 5pm Eastern Time on June 11, 2026.

NEW HAMBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA, June 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Important original works by Canada’s most celebrated folk artists, led by Maud Lewis, Joe Norris, Angus Trudeau, and Cyril Hirtle, will come up for bid on Thursday, June 11, 2026, as Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. presents its Post-War Canadian Folk Art auction. The online-only sale features 72 curated lots of Canadian folk art dating from 1950 to the present; highlighted by an exceptional Maud Lewis Three Black Cats; a rare early Springtime Oxen by Lewis; significant coastal scenes by Joe Norris; important vessel paintings by Angus Trudeau; and a museum-quality sculpture by Quebec folk art master Edmond Châtigny.

The auction opens for live bidding at 5pm Eastern Time, with lots closing sequentially in real time via live webcast. While there is no in-person event to attend, bidders can follow the sale as it unfolds online through the Miller & Miller Auctions platform. Internet bidding is available through Miller & Miller Auctions and LiveAuctioneers, with phone and absentee bids also accepted.

Works have been carefully curated to represent the strongest traditions of Canadian folk art from the Maritime Provinces, Ontario, and Quebec. Featured artists include Maud Lewis, Joe Norris, Joe Sleep, Angus Trudeau, Charlie Tanner, Cyril Hirtle, Wilfrid Richard, Yvon Coté, Leo Fournier, Philippe Roy, and others.

“What makes this auction particularly compelling is that many of the works are being offered from long-held private collections and estates, providing collectors with an opportunity to acquire pieces that have been off the market for decades,” said Aki Ohtsuka, Consignment Director for Folk Art at Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “From iconic names such as Maud Lewis, Joe Norris, Charlie Tanner, and Angus Trudeau to exceptional examples by Quebec masters and contemporary Maritime artists, the sale offers an outstanding cross-section of Canadian folk art at its highest level.”

The undisputed centerpiece of the auction is Lot 37, Maud Lewis’s Three Black Cats (estimate: $30,000–$35,000 Canadian). Painted in 1967, the work represents one of Lewis’s most beloved and recognizable serial images. Framed by apple blossoms and tulips, the three cats embody the whimsical charm that has made Lewis an enduring Canadian cultural icon. The painting remains in excellent condition and carries exceptional provenance, having been presented as a Christmas gift to the current owner’s family in 1967. Serial images of Three Black Cats are known only from the 1960s, making this example particularly desirable to collectors.

Another important Maud Lewis work is Lot 23, Springtime Oxen (estimate: $20,000–$25,000 Canadian). Dating to the mid-1950s, this early example depicts Lewis’s iconic oxen subject in a scarce and highly sought-after format. The animals are rendered in the distinctive “three-legged” manner found only in her earlier works, with softer forms and greater decorative detail than later versions. Comparable early examples are rare, and the painting closely relates to examples illustrated in the literature on Lewis’s work.

Joe Norris is represented by two outstanding coastal scenes from his mature period. Lot 54, Summer Cove (estimate: $9,000–$12,000 Canadian), is a large and highly refined harbour composition comparable to Summer Cove, Flowers in Bloom illustrated in Bernard Riordon’s Joe Norris: Painted Visions of Nova Scotia. Brightly coloured homes, fishing vessels, islands, and a distant lighthouse are united beneath one of Norris’s signature pink horizons. Lot 28, Prospect Bay (estimate: $9,000–$12,000 Canadian), captures the sheltered beauty of Nova Scotia’s coast through an intricate arrangement of boats, shorelines, seabirds, and luminous skies. Together, the two works demonstrate why Norris remains one of Atlantic Canada’s most collected folk artists.

Collectors of Ontario folk art will find much to admire in two important Angus Trudeau paintings. Lot 59, Norgoma (estimate: $9,000–$12,000 Canadian), depicts the famed Great Lakes passenger vessel navigating Georgian Bay. Purchased directly from Angus Trudeau and offered from the Estate of the Late Alex Cameron, the work belongs to the artist’s celebrated series chronicling the vessels and history of Manitoulin Island. Lot 60, Panny Arnold (estimate: $6,000–$9,000 Canadian), is another strong example from the same period and demonstrates Trudeau’s exceptional ability to capture the moods of sky and water while preserving memories of a vanished era.

A major highlight from Quebec is Lot 63, an extraordinary bird sculpture by Edmond Châtigny (estimate: $7,000–$10,000 Canadian). Rising dramatically around a curved central post populated with birds and frogs, the sculpture ranks among the most ambitious examples of the artist’s work to appear at auction. Combining inventive construction, sophisticated composition, and imaginative freedom, it stands as a museum-quality example by one of Quebec’s most celebrated folk artists.

The sale also includes Lot 20, Cyril Hirtle’s Doughboy (estimate: $2,000–$2,500 Canadian), one of the artist’s most distinctive and recognizable compositions. Characterized by an exaggerated profile, single blue eye, and striking simplicity, the painting demonstrates Hirtle’s unique ability to achieve visual impact through reduction rather than ornamentation. The work is further distinguished by a period photograph showing the artist with the painting.

“This auction brings together many of the qualities collectors value most: fresh-to-the-market material, exceptional provenance, important examples by recognized masters, and strong representation across the major regional traditions of Canadian folk art,” added Ms. Ohtsuka. “Whether collectors focus on Maud Lewis, Maritime folk art, Quebec sculpture, or Ontario masters such as Angus Trudeau, there is something truly special waiting to be discovered in this sale.”

The Post-War Canadian Folk Art auction is an online-only sale with live webcast bidding beginning at 5pm Eastern Time on June 11, 2026. Internet bidding is available through Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and LiveAuctioneers, with phone and absentee bids also accepted.

For full catalogue details and bidding information, visit: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-KPP60O/post-war-canadian-folk-art

Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in art, antiques, watches, collectibles, and important private collections, providing collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell.

To consign a single piece, an estate, or a collection, call (519) 573-3710 or email info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more, visit www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com.

Aki Ohtsuka
Miller & Miller Auctions
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