On November 19, 2025, at 3:00 PM, Toronto’s Yorkville district will become the center of Canada’s fine art world as Heffel Fine Art Auction House presents A Legacy Through Art: The Hudson’s Bay Company Collection.
This exclusive live auction offers collectors and art enthusiasts a rare opportunity to bid on 27 fine art masterpieces from the iconic Hudson’s Bay Company — one of Canada’s oldest and most storied institutions.
The collection, drawn from Hudson’s Bay’s historic 4,400-piece archive, includes works by some of the country’s most celebrated artists. For decades, the company commissioned painters to create images for its annual calendars, documenting the evolution of Canadian life and landscape through art. These original calendar paintings — once kept privately — now step into the public eye, providing a fascinating glimpse into the artistic and cultural development of the nation.
Among the highlights is “Christmas at Morgan’s” by Adrien Hébert, a luminous portrayal of the festive season at one of Canada’s earliest department stores. Another crowd favorite, “Lights of a City Street” by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, captures Toronto in the 1890s, glowing with urban energy and historical charm — and even includes the artist and his son within the scene. Each work represents not just artistic mastery, but a chapter of Canada’s history.
Perhaps the most talked-about piece in the auction is a painting of Marrakesh by Sir Winston Churchill, part of a small, celebrated series by the former British Prime Minister. One of these works once belonged to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, later passed through the hands of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and ultimately sold for over $16 million CAD. The inclusion of a Churchill painting in this collection adds a global dimension to the event’s prestige.
Preview exhibitions have already captivated audiences across Canada, with Toronto’s showing drawing particular attention. Art experts describe the sale as “a walk through Canadian art history” — an extraordinary chance to view the nation’s evolution through the brushstrokes of its greatest painters. The auction begins at 3:00 PM, with live, telephone, and online bidding, ensuring an intense and dynamic atmosphere at Heffel’s Yorkville ballroom.
As a trusted charter bus company in Toronto, Layman Transport is proud to provide charter bus and minibus services with driver for private groups and organizations attending the Hudson’s Bay art auction. This November, Layman Transport is honored to play a role in connecting people to Canada’s artistic legacy.
— Layman
