Sketch for The West Wind
Tom Thomson · 1916
Why it's great
A wind-bent pine and a rough lake are painted quickly on a small panel. Tom Thomson made this sketch as a first draft for his masterpiece, 'The West Wind.' You can see how he worked out the wind and the waves. It's a rare look at the first idea for a great painting.
Where to see it
📍 Art Gallery of OntarioToronto, Canada
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Tom Thomson was born in Ontario and worked as a commercial artist in Toronto before devoting himself to painting. He spent his summers in Algonquin Park, making small colorful oil sketches of lakes, trees and skies. His friends who later formed the Group of Seven were inspired by him. He drowned in Canoe Lake in 1917, and his death is still a famous mystery.
