plate no. 2870

The Jack Pine

Tom Thomson, 1917

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)landscapetreeslakemountainsskylandscape

From the record

Dimensions: 127.9 cm high × 139.8 cm wide
Institution: National Gallery of Canada
Location: National Gallery of Canada
Inception: 1916
Materials: oil paint, canvas

Pinus banksiana

Wikipedia article Wikidata item Q7742839

from the sources

The Jack Pine was completed in 1917, the year Thomson died. en.wikipedia.org
“The painting was completed in 1917, the year of Thomson's death.”
The painting has been in the National Gallery of Canada's collection in Ottawa since 1918. en.wikipedia.org
“It has been in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa since 1918.”
Thomson made the oil sketch used for the final painting in 1916 at Grand Lake in Algonquin Park. en.wikipedia.org
“It was there, on Grand Lake with the hills near Carcajou Bay in the background, that Thomson made the oil sketch in 1916 that he would use for the final painting in 1917.”
Thomson began the painting with a vermilion red undertone, which was allowed to show through in parts of the tree, foreground and hills. en.wikipedia.org
“Thomson began with a vermilion red undertone, which he likely chose to avoid mixing the complementary colours red and green.”
In the final painting Thomson replaced the stormy sky of his 1916 sketch with a clear twilight sky. en.wikipedia.org
“In the final painting, Thomson has swapped the storm clouds for a clear twilight sky.”
The sky and lake are painted in long horizontal brushstrokes that reflect the influence of Lawren Harris. en.wikipedia.org
“The sky and lake are now highly stylized, painted in long horizontal brushstrokes that show, along with its nearly square format, the influence of Thomson's colleague Lawren Harris.”
The National Gallery's representatives chose The Jack Pine on their second visit to the Arts and Letters Club on May 2, 1918. en.wikipedia.org
“For the second visit, May 2, the display had been improved, and the director and his associate chose The Jack Pine (along with Thomson's Autumn Garland and 25 sketches) for the National Gallery.”
The painting was first displayed in Canada in February 1920 as part of a Thomson memorial exhibition. en.wikipedia.org
“It circulated until 1919, and only in February 1920 was the painting first displayed in Canada, as part of a Thomson memorial exhibition.”

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the tree, mountains, and shoreline.
step 02
Block in the sky with horizontal strokes of yellow, green, and white, blending slightly.
step 03
Paint the distant mountains with dark blues and purples, adding small strokes of white for snow.
step 04
Block in the water with horizontal strokes of muted greens and blues, reflecting the sky.
step 05
Paint the foreground land with reds, browns, and greens, using short, choppy strokes.
step 06
Add the main tree, using dark greens and browns for the foliage and trunk, and thinner strokes for the branches.
step 07
Refine the details of the tree and foreground, adding highlights and shadows.
step 08
Add final touches to the sky and water, ensuring a cohesive color palette.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · viridian green · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

secondary · titanium white · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and viridian green. Create muted tones by adding small amounts of complementary colors.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, which can result in a muddy appearance.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform, losing the texture and energy of the original.
→Ignoring the color relationships between the different elements of the painting.
→Not varying the brushstroke direction to create form.