This Land:
The Group of Seven and their Contemporaries

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is pleased to present a landmark selection of more than 80 original paintings and sketches at the Royal Ontario Museum — iconic works that have shaped the way generations have seen and understood the Canadian landscape.

In the early 20th century, the Group of Seven used bold colours and expressive brushwork to capture forests, lakes, and rugged terrain across the country, forging a distinct and enduring vision of Canadian art. Featuring works by the Group and their contemporaries — among them Tom Thomson and Emily Carr — the exhibition celebrates the land that inspired their creativity. Organized geographically, it takes visitors on a journey through some of Canada’s most iconic terrain, capturing both the character of the landscape and each artist’s deep emotional connection to it.

As part of Canada’s historical record, these paintings offer a powerful artistic vision and a glimpse at a period of complicated, profound change. Highlights include Lawren Harris’s Mt. Lefroy (1930), A.Y. Jackson’s First Snow, Algoma (1919–20), and Tom Thomson’s Woodland Waterfall (1916–17) — works that invite visitors to appreciate the beauty and vastness of this land, reflect on the complex realities of the era in which they were made, and connect their own experiences to a legacy that endures.

While the McMichael is temporarily closed for its redevelopment, we are pleased to share works from the Collection with audiences at the Royal Ontario Museum.