ALEXANDER
YOUNG
JACKSON
(1882 - 1972)
Alexander Young Jackson was one of the senior members of the Group of Seven. He had studied art in Paris, and when he returned to Montreal, he found its art scene to be very boring. J.E.H
Maple and Birches (1915) |
MacDonald convinced Jackson to move to Toronto and join the beginning Group in 1913. The Group
had a 'Studio Building of Canadian Art' in Toronto's Rosedale area where they worked. Jackson joined the Group in Toronto. His forceful, crude 'Terre Sauvage' became the private touchstone of the Group, and served as inspiration to the members. When
the First World War broke out Jackson joined the army. The army decided that he would be more useful as a official war artist. After the war, Jackson became a critic of imported European art.
Winter, Chalevoix County (c.1932-1933) |
He believed that Canadian art was more suited to the Canadian market than were the European imports.
In 1921, he returned to Quebec where he
developed the style of delicate colour, with the soft, blunted forms that
he would use in his later years. He visited the north shore of Lake Superior with Harris. Later he also went to the Rockies, the Arctic and the north Pacific coast. But he returned to
Quebec every spring. It was there that he produced his best work. After the Group began to fall apart after several years, he was the one that expanded it into the Canadian Group of Painters. He was one of Canada's greatest artists. A school has been named
in his honour.
Welcome
| FrontDesk
| Perspectives
| Previous Page
| AGO Info