An oil on panel painting of Georgian Bay by Canadian artist A.Y. Jackson (1882-1974). With a signature in the lower right corner, in keeping with plein air sketches by Alexander Young (A.Y.) Jackson. Jackson was famous for carrying small wooden panels into the wilderness to capture scenes directly from nature. These sketches served as primary records of his travels and often became the basis for his larger, studio-finished canvases.
The reverse painting depicts an open-pit mine, likely based on Jackson’s travels to northern industrial sites in the 1930s-1950s. Jackson frequently sketched at mine sites, such as the Eldorado Mine (radium) at Port Radium, NWT, or the silver and gold mines in Cobalt and Red Lake, Ontario.
Alexander Young (A.Y.) Jackson (1882-1974) was a pivotal figure in Canadian history, serving as a relentless advocate for the Group of Seven and a driving force behind the creation of a distinct Canadian national identity in art.
Born in Montreal, Jackson began his career in a lithography shop before studying art in Chicago and Paris. He initially painted in an Impressionist style, but his 1910 work The Edge of the Maple Wood caught the attention of Toronto artists J.E.H. MacDonald and Lawren Harris. They invited him to Toronto, recognizing him as a kindred spirit who shared their desire to move away from European traditions and capture the rugged, untamed beauty of the Canadian wilderness.
In 1920, Jackson became a founding member of the Group of Seven. While other members eventually settled into teaching or studio work, Jackson remained the group’s most tireless traveler. By the time of his death in 1974, Jackson had arguably done more than any other artist to map the Canadian soul through its landscape.
Artist: Alexander Young (A.Y.) Jackson, a founding member of the Group of Seven.
RECTO:
Subject: A landscape painting capturing the scenery of Georgian Bay, Ontario.
Medium: Oil on panel.
Dimensions: Approximately 11 inches H x 14 W, presented in frame measuring 19.5 by 22.5 inches. With old Dominion Gallery stamp on frame.
VERSO:
Subject: An industrial mining landscape with a prominent yellow excavator or crane in the mid-ground. This reflects Jackson’s interest in documenting Canada’s northern industrial development through art.
Style: Characteristic of Jackson’s work, featuring rhythmic, undulating hills, a bold color palette (ochres and earth tones), and a high-vantage perspective.
