Graham Coughtry (1931-1999) is one from an important handful of artists that enabled "Contemporary Art" to emerge and flourish in the once-staid Toronto during the 1960's.

A graduate of the Ontario College of Art, Coughtry was one of the first (and most successful) artists exhibited by Av Isaacs. His first solo show with the legendary dealer was in 1956. Alongside Michael Snow, John Meredith and Joyce Wieland, these artists created highly individualistic bodies of work that avoided conforming with any of the dominant art trends from New York, Montreal or Europe.

Coughtry was far from Abstract Expressionism or Pop art, but established a signature style that focused on highly stylized and romantic depictions of the body often in rich colors and with thick impasto textures.

Coughtry's works from the 1960's are quite sought-after on the secondary market. One of his canvases from 1964 sold for $129,000 at auction in 2014.

This early drawing, both blunt and sensual, is a paradigm of Coughtry's aesthetic.