Highways, circa 1958

Private Collection, Ontario

"Highways" is a relatively large oil sketch created in preparation for a commission Jack Bush received from the Imperial Bank of Canada (now CIBC). This preliminary painting, likely executed en plein air, served as a reference for Bush when he completed the larger final work for the bank, now known as "Road Building Scene" (catalogue raisonné no. 0.0.1949.1; Vol 1, pp. 362–363). Although Jack Bush's talent as a commercial artist is remarkable, it is often underappreciated in art history. He built an award-winning career in commercial art, establishing his reputation as a master illustrator, particularly through his work with his largest client during the late 1930s and 1940s: the International Nickel Company of Canada. For this company, Bush created industrial scenes—depicting mining, clear-cutting, and road-building—designed to encourage Canadian investment in industries supporting the war effort. "Highways" reflects the postwar ethos of celebrating modern progress. As the Imperial Bank of Canada noted in the description accompanying the calendar that featured Bush’s work, “super highways” were seen as vital investments for a rapidly growing nation. We extend our thanks to Dr. Sarah Stanners for contributing the preceding essay. Sarah is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Art History and recently published the "Jack Bush Catalogue Raisonné".