Winter in Quebec

In this wintry Canadian landscape, A Y Jackson captures the snow using very little pure white paint. Instead, tinges of green, pink, and cool violet recreate the brilliance of sunlight on snowdrifts. These vibrant colours belie the harsh conditions that the artist endured while painting the scene.

Jackson was a founding member of the Group of Seven (1920–33). These influential Canadian painters were known for their distinctive style that responded directly to Canada’s natural landscape.

In 1938, a Group of Seven exhibition toured to New Zealand. The bold works inspired modern-thinking local artists to experiment with finding a painting style that captured their own unique land.