The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson: An Introduction

An introduction to the artists who symbolize the Canadian spirit.

Canada’s most renowned artists, the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, celebrated the country’s wild beauty. They saw in the untamed land a reflection of the national spirit, and called themselves adventurers in paint.

For decades, their work has been instantly familiar to Canadians. But in the early part of the 20th century, these artists were engaged in a struggle for acceptance, mocked by critics and the public alike.

In The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, author Anne Newlands explores the ambitions and visions of the artists, capturing the cultural and historical realities of their time and bringing to life their artistic response to the Canadian wilderness. The book is illustrated with 40 color works of landscapes, portraits and urban scenes, as well as black and white archival photographs. Readers are introduced to the artists as well as their locations – turn-of-the-century Toronto, Ontario’s wilderness, the Rocky Mountains and the Arctic.

Writing with insight and enthusiasm, Anne Newlands offers an informative introduction to the lives, the work and the times of these important artists.