Early Paintings (1886-1900)

Cradled in the Net

Oil on canvas

25.5 x 20 cm

Signed upper right, 1891

Private Collection

This painting, alternately titled The Fisherman's Child, was given the place of honor at the biennial exhibition of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1893. Also shown in that same year at the Chicago World's Columbian Exhibition. Ahrens used his own son, Robert Laird Ahrens (1888-1969) as a model.

 

Poplars Near Doon

Oil on canvas

25.5 x 20 cm

Signed 

Private Collection

The Day is Done

Oil on canvas

58.5 x 84 cm

Signed 1890

Collection of Sandu Sindile

Photo by Sandu Sindile

Saugeen First Nations Church

Watercolor on paper

17 x 26.4 cm

Signed c. 1896

Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre

A962.053.001

Ahrens and his first family were all adopted into this Ojibwa tribe, whose reservation is near the town of Southampton, Ontario, in 1896. He likely painted this while living there. The church still stands.

Untitled Landscape With Sheep

Oil on canvas

30.5 x 46 cm

Signed lower left

Collection of Barbara Todd
 

The signature is old and includes 'ARCA.' Carl was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy in March of 1891 and resigned in 1900. He rarely signed anything with that designation. A note on the back of the painting indicates the sheep were actually painted by Carl's friend, Homer Watson. 

Self Portrait

Watercolor on paper

10 x 7.5 cm

Unsigned c. 1886
 

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Kim Bullock

According to the notes on the back of this painting, this was among Carl Ahrens' first paintings. It is one of the few left unsigned. It is still in the family, so we are certain the work is his.