Toller Cranston Signed & Numbered Figural Prints

Updated September 5, 2026

Lot number212
Estimate500.00 - 600.00 CAD
AuctionIMPORTANT CANADIAN ART AUCTION Wednesday Sept 16th 7pm
DateSeptember 16, 2026 at 6:59 PM EDT
Auction houseErin Auctions
LocationErin

A decorative pair of limited-edition figural prints by celebrated Canadian artist and figure skater Toller Cranston, presented together in a single vertical frame. The lower composition presents an elegant female figure holding a parasol, her elaborate bodice, sleeves and accessories rendered in intricate black line while the voluminous skirt is suggested with remarkably economical contour. Numbered 152/360 at lower left and signed and dated 1982 at lower right. Together, the two works illustrate Cranston's distinctive graphic vocabulary: theatrical figures, extravagant costume, fantasy, decorative pattern and a strong sense of movement. The contrasting approaches—from the densely ornamented upper image to the deliberately spare lower composition—make the pair particularly effective when displayed together. Artist Biography Toller Cranston (1949–2015) was a Canadian figure skater, painter, illustrator, designer and author whose unusually theatrical visual imagination informed both his athletic and artistic careers. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cranston became one of the most influential figures in modern men's figure skating. He won six consecutive Canadian men's championships from 1971 through 1976, earned a bronze medal at the 1974 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 1976 Winter Olympic Games. His expressive approach emphasized choreography, line and artistic interpretation at a time when men's competitive skating was often more technically conservative. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1977 and was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2003. Parallel with his skating career, Cranston developed an extensive career as a visual artist. His paintings, drawings and prints frequently feature richly ornamented figures, theatrical costumes, fantasy imagery and intensely decorative surfaces. He eventually settled in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he continued painting until his death in 2015.

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