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| The Group
of Seven formed in the 1920's with founding members Franklin Carmichael,
Frank Johnston, Lawren S. Harris, A. Y. Jackson, Aruther Lismer, Frederick
Varley and J.E.H. MacDonald. Influenced by European impressionism, their
paintings marked a distinct break in the tradition of realist and figurative
work patronized by religious institutions at this time. Their paintings
portrayed a boundless sense of the nation’s inherent beauty and were profoundly
influenced by the land/geography of the country. The Group of Seven stood
in the position of observers /explorers, documenting their perceptions
of the geographical, working in response to the land.Galleries and museums
collected their work and introduced to the public a type of Canadiana
utopianism. In one of the first retrospective exhibitions, "The Group of Seven: Art for a Nation" at the National Gallery of Canada, October 3 to December 1, 1996, curators organized over 180 paintings that reflected the group’s founding members and other contributing artists who exhibited work along side the Group of Seven between the 1920’s to 1931. Organizers of this exhibition stated that the Group of Seven "believed that the Canadian environment had a determining influence on the Canadian character and that the artists must probe the landscape to understand the Canadian psyche and to create an art that would reflect both."(1) When viewing the work of the Group of Seven we can see the overwhelming presence of the natural environment, but are not provide a window into the political or social activities of a time. Many dramatic historical events occurred during the period the Group of Seven was painting. Some of the most important events not portrayed in their art were:. |
