Walter J. Phillips RCA (1884-1963) - St. Andrew's,

Updated September 18, 2026

Lot number	72
Estimate	125.00 - 175.00 USD
Auction	October Art & Collectibles- 2-DAY Auction
Date	October 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM EDT
Auction house	Oakwood Auctions
Location	Stouffville

Walter Joseph Phillips RCA (1884-1963), St. Andrew's, 1931, wood engraving on paper, created in connection with Robert Watson's landmark Dreams of Fort Garry, published by Stovel Company Limited, Winnipeg. An evocative example of Phillips's mature monochrome printmaking, the composition depicts a Sabbath congregation in period dress approaching St. Andrew's Church in Manitoba's historic Red River Settlement, with bonneted women and formally dressed men proceeding toward the sharply articulated stone church and bell tower beyond. Phillips transforms the intimate scene through an extraordinary economy of black and white, using densely worked passages, incisive white-line engraving, cross-hatching and carefully modulated textures to establish architecture, costume, landscape and atmosphere with remarkable clarity.<br><br>The work belongs to one of the most historically resonant print projects of Phillips's career. In 1931 he executed more than twenty wood engravings for Dreams of Fort Garry, Robert Watson's poetic account of the life and times of the early settlers of Western Canada. The book itself was produced in an edition of 968 copies, in addition to only three sets of proofs, giving the associated engravings an especially significant place within Phillips's representation of Manitoba and the Canadian West. Phillips's mastery of wood engraving is particularly evident here: brilliant exposed whites emerge from velvety blacks, while the rhythmic silhouettes of the figures create an almost cinematic progression toward the church. The combination of social history, early Manitoba subject matter and sophisticated graphic design gives St. Andrew's appeal well beyond Phillips specialists, extending to collectors of Canadian historical art, Western Canadian imagery, Red River Settlement material, Manitoba history and twentieth-century Canadian printmaking.<br><br>Walter J. Phillips is recognized as one of Canada's foremost printmakers and was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy, with his woodcuts and wood engravings forming a central component of his artistic legacy. His work is represented in major institutional collections, and his finely executed prints remain actively sought within the Canadian art market.

Walter J. Phillips RCA (1884-1963) - St. Andrew's,

More lots in this auction

See all lots in October Art & Collectibles- 2-DAY Auction →