Sounding Whale - Labrador Sea 199827" x 38" Oil Tempera on Panel

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About the Artwork

Sounding Whale – Labrador Sea is a 27" × 38" oil on panel created in 1998 by David Blackwood RCA (1941–2022). The massive tail of a whale rises from turbulent seas, rendered in deep blacks and rich purples. Luminous spray cascades from the flukes in pale pinks, lavenders, and whites—colours that transform observation into something approaching the spiritual. For Blackwood, the whale represents the threshold between seen and unseen worlds; the act of sounding—diving deep—becomes a metaphor for transformation and passage.

Blackwood first encountered these waters at five years old, standing on the deck of his father's schooner. Captain Edward Blackwood was skipper of the Flora S. Nickerson, a Labrador fishing vessel that worked the northern cod grounds each summer. Young David would sail with him "down to the Labrador area, up to as far as Cook's Harbour and Cape Harrison."¹ Those voyages gave Blackwood something no art school could provide: the particular light of the northern sea, the presence of whales, the vastness that would later fill his canvases. The two-masted schooner on the horizon is a deliberate reference to the sailing vessels his father knew intimately in these same waters.

The glow in this painting comes from nowhere and everywhere. Blackwood spoke directly about this: "In many cases the light is coming from within. People naturally ask, 'Where is it coming from? Sunshine? Where?' Well, in many cases the light is, for example, inside the iceberg coming out, and the light is inside the person, coming from the person, emanating from the hand, sometimes the glove... but from within."² The work rewards extended viewing.

This acquisition extends beyond the artwork itself. Included is a remarkable archive: Blackwood's handwritten letter discussing the work, original photographs, and the 1998 bill of sale—establishing unbroken provenance directly from the artist. The letter elevates this from authenticated to narrated: a collector can speak about this work with the artist's own words.

Dimensions and Details

Title: Sounding Whale – Labrador Sea
Artist: David Blackwood RCA (1941–2022)
Year: 1998
Size: 27" × 38" (68.6 × 96.5 cm)
Medium: Oil on panel
Provenance: Direct from the artist to West End Gallery, 1998
Condition: Excellent. No visible craquelure, losses, or restoration. Original surface shows vibrant colour saturation with luminous pinks, lavenders, and deep purples fully intact. Professionally framed. Accompanied by complete archival documentation including artist's handwritten letter, original photographs, and 1998 bill of sale establishing direct provenance from the artist.

Exceptional Archival Documentation

This painting is accompanied by a meticulously preserved archive of artist-issued materials from the original 1998 transaction:

Original handwritten letter from David Blackwood discussing the work
Two original photographs of the painting
Original bill of sale from 1998
Original mailing envelope

These materials form an exceptionally complete documentary record, providing institutional-level provenance and significantly enhancing both scholarly and collectible value.

Market Context

Major oil paintings by Blackwood are considerably rarer on the market than his celebrated etchings. Whale compositions remain among the most sought-after works in his oeuvre, particularly following the Art Gallery of Ontario's major retrospective. Works of this calibre and provenance rarely appear on the private market.

Acquisition Enquiries

Sounding Whale – Labrador Sea is offered exclusively through West End Gallery. We invite collectors to contact us directly to arrange a private viewing. Given the exceptional provenance and archival documentation, early enquiry is recommended.

Citations

David Blackwood, quoted in interview transcript, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, St. John's, Newfoundland, 2011.
William Gough, David Blackwood: Master Printmaker (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2001).

Accessibility Description

The painting depicts a whale's tail rising almost vertically from rough seas near the centre of the composition. The tail is massive and rendered in deep blacks and rich purples with visible striations suggesting the texture of whale skin. The flukes span much of the upper canvas, dominating the composition with their dramatic vertical thrust.

Luminous spray cascades from the tail in pale pinks, lavenders, and whites, creating vertical and diagonal streaks against the dark form. Behind the tail, a dramatic burst of light radiates outward in pale yellows and whites, creating an almost supernatural glow. The sea is rendered with bold, visible horizontal brushstrokes in Prussian blues, teals, and deep navy, with white foam suggesting violent movement and turbulence.

On the left horizon, a small pale iceberg sits low against the darker water. In the middle distance, slightly left of centre, a two-masted sailing vessel appears as a small but clearly defined silhouette with dark sails. The sky shows horizontal and diagonal brushmarks echoing the movement of the sea below. The overall palette is dominated by deep blues, blacks, and purples, with pale pinks, lavenders, and whites providing luminous contrast in the spray and light burst. Medium: oil on panel, 27" × 38" (68.6 × 96.5 cm).

Full Provenance

1998: Created by David Blackwood in Port Hope, Ontario
1998: Acquired directly by West End Gallery Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta (original bill of sale retained)
1998–Present: Private collection, acquired through West End Gallery

Disclaimer

This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.

Sounding Whale - Labrador Sea 1998 | 27" x 38" Oil Tempera on Panel

About the Artwork

Sounding Whale – Labrador Sea is a 27" × 38" oil on panel created in 1998 by David Blackwood RCA (1941–2022). The massive tail of a whale rises from turbulent seas, rendered in deep blacks and rich purples. Luminous spray cascades from the flukes in pale pinks, lavenders, and whites—colours that transform observation into something approaching the spiritual. For Blackwood, the whale represents the threshold between seen and unseen worlds; the act of sounding—diving deep—becomes a metaphor for transformation and passage.

Blackwood first encountered these waters at five years old, standing on the deck of his father's schooner. Captain Edward Blackwood was skipper of the Flora S. Nickerson, a Labrador fishing vessel that worked the northern cod grounds each summer. Young David would sail with him "down to the Labrador area, up to as far as Cook's Harbour and Cape Harrison."¹ Those voyages gave Blackwood something no art school could provide: the particular light of the northern sea, the presence of whales, the vastness that would later fill his canvases. The two-masted schooner on the horizon is a deliberate reference to the sailing vessels his father knew intimately in these same waters.

The glow in this painting comes from nowhere and everywhere. Blackwood spoke directly about this: "In many cases the light is coming from within. People naturally ask, 'Where is it coming from? Sunshine? Where?' Well, in many cases the light is, for example, inside the iceberg coming out, and the light is inside the person, coming from the person, emanating from the hand, sometimes the glove... but from within."² The work rewards extended viewing.

This acquisition extends beyond the artwork itself. Included is a remarkable archive: Blackwood's handwritten letter discussing the work, original photographs, and the 1998 bill of sale—establishing unbroken provenance directly from the artist. The letter elevates this from authenticated to narrated: a collector can speak about this work with the artist's own words.

Dimensions and Details

Title: Sounding Whale – Labrador Sea
Artist: David Blackwood RCA (1941–2022)
Year: 1998
Size: 27" × 38" (68.6 × 96.5 cm)
Medium: Oil on panel
Provenance: Direct from the artist to West End Gallery, 1998
Condition: Excellent. No visible craquelure, losses, or restoration. Original surface shows vibrant colour saturation with luminous pinks, lavenders, and deep purples fully intact. Professionally framed. Accompanied by complete archival documentation including artist's handwritten letter, original photographs, and 1998 bill of sale establishing direct provenance from the artist.

Exceptional Archival Documentation

This painting is accompanied by a meticulously preserved archive of artist-issued materials from the original 1998 transaction:

Original handwritten letter from David Blackwood discussing the work
Two original photographs of the painting
Original bill of sale from 1998
Original mailing envelope

These materials form an exceptionally complete documentary record, providing institutional-level provenance and significantly enhancing both scholarly and collectible value.

Market Context

Major oil paintings by Blackwood are considerably rarer on the market than his celebrated etchings. Whale compositions remain among the most sought-after works in his oeuvre, particularly following the Art Gallery of Ontario's major retrospective. Works of this calibre and provenance rarely appear on the private market.

Acquisition Enquiries

Sounding Whale – Labrador Sea is offered exclusively through West End Gallery. We invite collectors to contact us directly to arrange a private viewing. Given the exceptional provenance and archival documentation, early enquiry is recommended.

Citations

David Blackwood, quoted in interview transcript, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, St. John's, Newfoundland, 2011.
William Gough, David Blackwood: Master Printmaker (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2001).

Accessibility Description

The painting depicts a whale's tail rising almost vertically from rough seas near the centre of the composition. The tail is massive and rendered in deep blacks and rich purples with visible striations suggesting the texture of whale skin. The flukes span much of the upper canvas, dominating the composition with their dramatic vertical thrust.

Luminous spray cascades from the tail in pale pinks, lavenders, and whites, creating vertical and diagonal streaks against the dark form. Behind the tail, a dramatic burst of light radiates outward in pale yellows and whites, creating an almost supernatural glow. The sea is rendered with bold, visible horizontal brushstrokes in Prussian blues, teals, and deep navy, with white foam suggesting violent movement and turbulence.

On the left horizon, a small pale iceberg sits low against the darker water. In the middle distance, slightly left of centre, a two-masted sailing vessel appears as a small but clearly defined silhouette with dark sails. The sky shows horizontal and diagonal brushmarks echoing the movement of the sea below. The overall palette is dominated by deep blues, blacks, and purples, with pale pinks, lavenders, and whites providing luminous contrast in the spray and light burst. Medium: oil on panel, 27" × 38" (68.6 × 96.5 cm).

Full Provenance

1998: Created by David Blackwood in Port Hope, Ontario
1998: Acquired directly by West End Gallery Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta (original bill of sale retained)
1998–Present: Private collection, acquired through West End Gallery

Disclaimer

This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.