The Jack Pine
The painting, The Jack Pine, by Tom Thomson is an oil on canvas was created in 1916-1917. Its measurements are 127.9 x 139.8 cm. The Jack Pine is displayed in the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Tom Thomson's work shows the influence of Impressionism, Art Nouveau, and the achievements of the Group of Seven. The Jack Pine creates a calm, distilled outlook on the Canadian landscapes. I like how Thomson uses almost every colour in the rainbow. The sky and the lake are the same colour generate a still, tranquil, and placid. There is a strong contrast between the background and the tree. The scene looks like there was a big wind storm that had just passed through and now everything is relaxed and clearing up. There is a red undertone that compliments the complimentary colours. Thomson applies the paint on thick and in a similar way. The brushstrokes are all horizontal making it easy for the eye to look at. The tree not centered in the middle of the page, establishes a unique view and a non-perfect look at a landscape. The twiggy branches that dangle down, as well as the tree trunk produce a perpendicularity to the horizontal mountains, sky, and water. The shapes are pretty simple in this painting, making it have a comfortable sense. While you look at The Jack Pine your eye wonders up the tree and then down the longest thickest branch, letting your eye level out on the horizon. The tree is placed to the right side of the painting rather than in the center, even though it is the main focus. It is as though you are standing and taking this picture with a camera, making it believable to look at and imagine yourself there. There is a very perpendicular feel to this painting. The horizon and the tree make a 't' right through the middle of the painting. When I drew the lines on the painting, they didn't really represent anything because he was influenced by impressionism. There were some measurements that made sense,
Bibliography: http://particle.physics.ucdavis.edu/bios/Thomson.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Thomson http://www.mcelroy.ca/bushlog/20031024.shtml