Often favouring the effects of shadow and light patterns created by the layers of tree trunks in the woods, Franz Johnston was drawn to forested areas and small lakes in rural locations. Executed in a decorative style, “Fall Reflections” exemplifies Johnston’s attention to fine detail and a fondness for impressionist paint application. With dabs of tempera speckling the image layer there is a quiet mysticism about the composition with the moody colour palette of deep purple, golden ochre and soft blue-greys punctuated with fresh green. Rather than working in oils on-site as his colleagues generally did, Johnston often used fast-drying tempera to capture the atmosphere of the landscape in his “plein air” studies. Many of these works were later destroyed by Johnston, but these rare examples bear testament to the artist’s ability to delicately render the landscape without sacrificing the luminosity of his surroundings.
