Algoma Country is Group of Seven Country. The two are inextricably linked through the definitive works created by Canada’s most celebrated group of artists.
Some of their most important paintings were produced in Algoma Country following World War I. Not only would the paintings created during this period influence the perception of the Canadian wilderness, they would help to chart the course of Canadian art.
Today we see their paintings on gallery walls, in coffee table books, and reproduced on everything from postcards to placemats. Iconic works like J.E.H. McDonald’s Solemn Land and Lawren Harris’ Algoma Waterfall depict a raw and un-manicured landscape.
These moments are captured on canvas for posterity, but what is really remarkable about Algoma Country is that many of the painting sites are still very much as they were when the Group of Seven travelled by train, canoe, and on foot. In Algoma Country we have the rare opportunity to step into Group of Seven Country and see it as the artists did 100 years ago.
Stepping into Group Of Seven Country
Algoma Country is much more accessible today than it was when the Group of Seven painted. Although it's still remote, rugged, and beautiful, there are more highways, roads, and trails to inspirational landscapes than there were in the past.
At the same time, many of the iconic Canadian scenes painted back in the 1920s are still very much intact, making a visit to Northern Ontario a unique way to enjoy these artists. Not only is it easier to access Group of Seven painting sites, but we may also discover special places they may never have seen.
- James Smedley
Read the full article about setting foot in Group of Seven Country