Petawawa Gorge At Night

Tom Thomson was a pioneer in the interpretation and representation of Canada.

His unique perspective stands out even from those who took inspiration from him, including the Group of Seven.

Typically in Thomson’s scenes we see a landscape through a veil of trees, obscured but ubiquitous. His cropped, frontal, somewhat unfinished scenes suggest a naturalistic approach, which lends his work an honesty and accuracy.

His vivid colours seem dramatized, but when you discover the locations he painted, these colours become more accurate than Impressionistic.

However, in this work the influence of Impressionism is clear, as seen in his application of paint. His visible, sketch-like manner of painting makes no attempt to hide the fact that he is creating an object.

The tiny swatches of colour quilt together, forming the remarkable sky. This contrasts nicely with the metered vertical strokes of black that make up the cliff faces. In this silhouetted area of rock, Thomson suggests form in the absence of light with small fits of brushstrokes indicating rocky outcroppings.

The cliffs attempt to impose over the vivid surface of the water below and grip at the equally vibrant sky; yet it’s those very elements that allow the cliffs to (pictorially) exist.

Despite painting the land that was in close proximity to where he lived, Thomson’s work acts as a national beacon.

It calls upon all landscape artists to realize the potential in the simple and immediate land around us; proudly stating that meaningful landscapes don’t have to be spiritual or epic.