Born in Toronto (1942), Charles Pachter is one of the most collected and cherished Canadian artists. In both style and subject, Pachter’s uplifting images share characteristics with other legendary Pop artists such as Jim Dine, David Hockney, and Andy Warhol, yet his voice is resoundingly singular and uniquely Canadian.

From the late 1970's through the following decade, drawing was a key element of Charles Pachter's artistic output. During this period he mastered the line drawing and "Whale and Streetcar" is a fine example of his draftsmanship and his playful patriotism. 

Toronto is one of the few major cities in North America that still employs streetcars. For Pachter this unique mode of transportation became an emblem of sorts for his home city. He created a number of works in several media exploring the streetcar. At the time of this drawing the artist was simply trying to illustrate the scale of the streetcar, juxtaposing it with an impressive whale. However today, this work takes on a new significance, considering the vulnerability of some of the earth's most cherished creatures in the face of global climate change. 

We believe that this is the first time this work has been offered commercially. Caviar20 had the privilege of going through the artist's archive and selected a small number of impressive drawings from the late 1970's. 

Today Charles Pachter is represented in numerous public and private collections including the Art Gallery of Ontario, The Portrait Gallery of Canada, The Royal Ontario Museum, and the McMichael Gallery. 

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"Whale and Streetcar"

Signed and dated by the artist in pencil

Ink and pencil on paper 

Canada, 1977

9.75”H 24”W

Very good condition