J.E.H MacDonald excelled in the expression of nuanced qualities of light. Shown here, the muted quality of the light of a rainy day is conveyed with notable authenticity. The subtlety of the earth-toned palette and misty atmosphere bear the clear influence of British landscape titan John Constable, whose work MacDonald was exposed to during his time in London just a few years prior. The rugged and expressive brushwork, however, speaks to the burgeoning style of Canadian Impressionism that the artist was seeking. It was small works such as this one that Lawren Harris viewed in 1911 at Toronto’s famed Arts & Letters Club which led him to seek an introduction. Their meeting was an early step in the formation of the Group of Seven and their era defining artistic expressions.

This work is accompanied by a 1967 letter from the artist’s son, Thoreau MacDonald, referencing the work as a good example from the period.