The West Wind
Tom Thomson · 1917
Why it's great
A twisted pine bends in a strong wind, with whitecaps on the lake and clouds streaming across a blue and gold sky. Tom Thomson painted this in the winter of 1916–17, and it is one of the most beloved paintings in Canada. He drowned mysteriously in a lake in 1917, shortly afterward, which made him a legend. The painting hangs in the Art Gallery of Ontario.
👀 Look closer!
Feel the wind on the trees. Which way is it blowing?
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.
