Tom Thomson: An Introduction to His Life and Art

Peter Harmathy teaches fine arts in Victoria.

Without Tom Thomson, there would have been no Group of Seven, the
Canadian wilderness landscape painters who were strongly influenced by
post-Impressionism. To consider the impact of Thomson’s art, one has
only to think of two paintings that have become icons of Canadian
national identity: The Jack Pine (1917) and The West Wind (1916),
displayed at the National Gallery of Canada and the Art Galley of
Ontario, respectively. This is remarkable for a man whose career was
tragically cut short by a mysterious drowning in Canoe Lake in 1917.

This introductory book on the artist contains an overview of his life
and of his influence on the Group, and a concise yet comprehensive look
at his art. The book is beautifully illustrated with historical
photographs as well as color reproductions of many of Thomson’s
paintings.

David Silcox is a former director of the University of Toronto Art
Centre and the author of several books, including a recent biography of
Canadian artist David Milne. Those wanting to learn more about Tom
Thomson should read Silcox’s more substantial work Tom Thomson: The
Silence and the Storm (1977), which he co-authored with the late Harold
Town.