Art Appraisal

A recent private Toronto client required an insurance appraisal report for some inherited artworks. Among them was this pair of signed silkscreens by famed Canadian Group of Seven artist A.J. Casson.

Pair of A.J. Casson signed silkscreens

Alfred Joseph Casson OC, RCA (1898-1992, Canadian)

Frog on a Lilypad and Floral Blooms

Pair of silkscreens

Both are signed lower right

Each 25.5cm x 21cm (10” x 8¼”)

Both are accompanied by typed dedication cards, inscribed ‘With all good wishes, June 23, 1962’ and hand signed in blue ink by Charles Matthews

Charles Matthews, of Sampson-Matthews Ltd. Printmakers, collaborated extensively with A.J. Casson and other members of the Group of Seven to produce silkscreen images of their works. This collaboration was first initiated in 1942 by A.Y. Jackson, and this programme lasted 30 years and produced a total of 118 images

Art Appraisal - Sampson-Matthews silkscreens are among the most significant printmaking achievements in Canadian art. Produced between 1942 and 1963 by the Toronto-based printing company Sampson-Matthews Limited, these handcrafted silkscreen prints helped introduce Canadian art to a broad audience while playing an important role in shaping Canada's cultural identity. Closely associated with A.J. Casson, a member of the Group of Seven and the company's Art Director, the project remains one of the country's most ambitious public art initiatives.

The Sampson-Matthews company was founded by artist J. Ernest Sampson and businessman Charles Matthews. Originally known for high-quality commercial printing, advertising, and graphic design, the firm became a pioneer in silkscreen printing in Canada. During the 1920s and 1930s, the company developed advanced screen-printing techniques that allowed artists to reproduce paintings with remarkable richness of colour and detail. A.J. Casson joined the company in 1926 and eventually became Vice-President and Creative Director, overseeing many of its artistic innovations.

The silkscreen program began during the Second World War when the Canadian government, working with the National Gallery of Canada and Group of Seven member A.Y. Jackson, sought a way to improve the morale of Canadian troops stationed overseas. Instead of decorating military barracks with ordinary posters, they commissioned high-quality reproductions of famous Canadian landscape paintings. Sampson-Matthews was selected because of its exceptional expertise in colour printing, while Casson supervised the artistic production of the prints.

The resulting works were not ordinary reproductions. Each silkscreen required numerous separate screens, often using as many as fifteen layers of oil-based inks to recreate the colours and textures of the original painting. Every colour was applied individually by hand, making the finished print an original work of craftsmanship rather than a simple mechanical copy. This painstaking process produced vibrant images that have retained their colour and quality for decades.

A.J. Casson played a central role throughout the project. As Art Director, he translated many paintings into silkscreen format, supervised colour selection, approved proofs, and ensured that every print faithfully reflected the original artwork. His commercial art experience combined perfectly with his fine art training, allowing him to bridge the worlds of printing technology and artistic expression. Casson later described the Sampson-Matthews project as one of the accomplishments of which he was most proud.

Many of Canada's greatest artists were represented in the series. Besides Casson himself, the collection featured works by Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, Tom Thomson, Emily Carr, J.E.H. MacDonald, James Wilson Morrice, Charles Comfort, Thoreau MacDonald, Albert Cloutier, and numerous others. Together they created a visual survey of Canada's forests, mountains, lakes, villages, coastlines, and northern wilderness.

The images chosen emphasized distinctly Canadian landscapes. Snow-covered forests, rocky shorelines, autumn woodlands, prairie scenes, fishing villages, and northern lakes became familiar symbols of the nation. During wartime these images reminded soldiers of home, providing comfort and reinforcing the landscapes they were fighting to protect. Following the war, the prints found a second life in schools, libraries, embassies, hospitals, government offices, banks, and private homes throughout Canada.

One of Casson's best-known contributions is White Pine, a striking image of a solitary pine tree overlooking Georgian Bay. First created as a Sampson-Matthews silkscreen in the late 1940s, it became so popular that Casson later developed it into a full painting. Today both versions are considered iconic examples of Canadian landscape art. Other notable Casson silkscreens include Summer Morning, Fisherman's Point, and Poplar, all of which demonstrate his clean compositions, strong design, and brilliant use of colour.

Production continued long after the war ended. While the original military objective disappeared, public demand for the prints remained strong. Schools purchased them for classrooms, businesses displayed them in boardrooms, and countless Canadians decorated their homes with these affordable works of art. Between 1942 and 1963, more than one hundred different designs were produced, making the program the largest public art initiative in Canadian history.

By the early 1960s, advances in photographic reproduction gradually replaced the labour-intensive silkscreen process, and Sampson-Matthews ended the project in 1963. The company itself was later sold, and eventually ceased operations. For many years the prints were overlooked by collectors, who often viewed them simply as decorative reproductions. Interest revived during the 1990s and 2000s as art historians recognized their historical importance and exceptional craftsmanship.

Collectors today value Sampson-Matthews silkscreens for several reasons. First, they represent an important collaboration between Canada's leading artists, the National Gallery, and one of the country's premier printing firms. Second, they are handcrafted works rather than mass-produced posters. Third, many surviving examples remain in excellent condition because of the durable oil-based inks and heavy paperboard used in their production. Prints authenticated later in life by A.J. Casson, bearing his handwritten signature or the inscription "Supervised by A.J. Casson," are especially desirable.

The influence of these silkscreens extends beyond collecting. Art historians frequently credit the project with helping define Canada's visual identity during the twentieth century. Before television became widespread, millions of Canadians encountered these colourful landscapes in classrooms, public buildings, and workplaces. For many people, the images became their first introduction to the Group of Seven and other important Canadian artists. The project also demonstrated how commercial printing could successfully bring fine art to a mass audience without sacrificing quality.

Today, Sampson-Matthews Casson silkscreens remain highly respected examples of Canadian printmaking. Museums, galleries, collectors, and historians recognize them as far more than reproductions. They represent a unique collaboration between art, industry, and national purpose, preserving some of Canada's finest landscape imagery in a form that could be widely shared. Through A.J. Casson's artistic leadership and Sampson-Matthews' technical excellence, these remarkable silkscreens continue to celebrate Canada's natural beauty while occupying a lasting place in the history of Canadian art.