The turquoise water in this sketch immediately evokes the Caribbean Sea, a region which Morrice visited at least twice, but such a frank piece of turquoise water is, so far, unique. The sketches and drawings done in Cuba and Jamaica in the Spring of 1915 don’t show any water. Still mourning the recent loss of his parents, the artist focused his attention on the urban aspects of the island, coloured houses or public parks, always with little figures of local people.
This lovely little sketch is a delightful surprise, especially the delicate fishnet entirely drawn in pencil on the top of the wet paint, as if the artist had wished to attenuate the blinding effect of his bright colour. The panel had no title; after looking at old and new images of Cuba, the search was narrowed to the area of Santiago, which Morrice visited. If many pages of his Sketchbook #10 (Montreal MFA) depict Santiago, none relates to this particular sketch. Fortunately, old postcards and recent photographs are very helpful.
Lucie Dorais, February 2024
It was in early November 1914 when Morrice decided to leave Paris and return home to Canada. He first sailed to New York and visited some of his old-time American artist friends. Then he went to Montreal and was home when his father died in late December 1914. In Montreal after the funeral, depressed, Morrice tarried at home for another two months, apparently painting nothing. Then an opportunity arose to go to Cuba. Sir William Van Horne’s son, Bennie, an amateur artist like his father, asked Morrice if he would like to accompany him there. It was just the right idea to pull Morrice out of his despondency, and in late February 1915, he passed through New York and Washington en route to Havana. For some time, James Morrice had heard about the beauties and wonderful climate in the tropical island of Cuba and had wanted to visit it.
It was late in March or early April 1915 that Morrice reached Cuba, where he stayed for two or three weeks sketching in Havana, and in Santiago. While in Cuba, Morrice enthusiastically returned to painting landscapes. After his spontaneous celebrations in earlier work, the artist regained his natural balance in the Cuban paintings, once again giving great importance to composition. The artist then proceeded to nearby Jamaica, where his visit remained brief because he couldn’t stand the tropical heat. By the spring of 1915, Morrice was back in Paris where he painted up about a half-dozen Cuban canvases.
