A Quebec Village Street, Winter 1920

Clarence Gagnon made this winter scene of a Quebec village with visible, confident brushstrokes in bright, joyful colours. I can imagine Gagnon outside, breathing in the cold air and trying to capture the crispness of the light on the snow. Look how he uses blues and purples to give the snow volume and shadow. The houses are not stark white, but warm yellows, reflecting the sun. The paint looks quite thick in places, giving a pleasing texture to the scene. That strong diagonal line of the road suggests the slow plod of the horse and sleigh as it trundles through the village. It makes me think of other artists like Van Gogh or even Lawren Harris, all trying to capture something essential about the landscape and daily life. Artists are always in conversation, aren't they, borrowing and building on each other's ideas, creating something new. The painting is both a record of a specific place and time, and a more universal expression of the joys of winter.