Roberts Gallery, Toronto
Private Collection, Ontario
Heffel Fine Art, auction, Toronto, May 23, 2007, Lot 42
Private Collection, Vancouver
In 1919 and 1920, in conjunction with the formation of the Group of Seven, J.E.H. MacDonald embarked on many trips to sketch the wilderness of rural Ontario. He was often accompanied by Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson and Arthur Lismer, and at other times travelled alone. Algoma County was a favourite for longer and more rustic expeditions, while Lake Simcoe was a frequent destination closer to home in Toronto. Located on the eastern shores of the lake, Roches Point was a beloved cottage destination in the early twentieth century and continues to be today. It is known for its picturesque shoreline views, as captured by MacDonald in this 1920 oil sketch.
Like Tom Thomson, with whom he worked at the design firm Grip Ltd., MacDonald was an advocate for the small oil sketch produced “en plein-air”. “Roches Point, Lake Simcoe” would have been painted by the artist while stationed directly on the shoreline. There, he was able to take in and reproduce the tranquil scene of the open body of water and sky. MacDonald’s delicate brushstrokes and pastel coloured palette create a soothing atmospheric effect in this impressionistic rendering of Canadian terrain.
