Description
This 2012 $20 fine silver coin is the third in the series of seven coins and depicts Franklin Carmichaels painting “Houses, Cobalt”. Royal Canadian Mint engravers reproduced Carmichael’s memorable image of houses that rise up the rolling hillside covered in thick snow. Mintage 7,000. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
In your coin’s reproduction of Carmichael’s painting Houses, Cobalt (c. 1931-1932), you see an example of Carmichael’s style for this era. Linocut printmaking—cutting a relief design into a linoleum surface that is then inked and pressed onto the paper—was popular in the early years of the 20th century, first for wallpaper printing, then for prints.
Franklin Charmichael:
Franklin Carmichael was one of the original members Group of Seven. His painting Houses, Cobalt was painted in 1931-1932.
Carmichael was born on May 4, 1890, in Orillia, Ontario and showed artistic potential at a young age. As a boy, he decorated carriages in his father’s carriage shop. The graphic scrollwork allowed him to hone design skills he would use his entire life. His particular style for this era was called Linocut printmaking (cutting a relief design into a linoleum surface that is then inked and pressed onto the paper). This process was popular in the early years of the 20th century, first for wallpaper printing, then for prints.
