The Drive
1916 National Gallery of Canada
About this artwork
This oil on canvas depicts a vibrant log drive, a significant industrial activity in early 20th-century Canada. Logs fill a swirling river, with workers visible on a structure in the background, conveying the raw energy of the scene.
Did you know?
Tom Thomson's 'The Drive' captures a quintessential Canadian scene from the early 20th century, reflecting the nation's reliance on its vast timber resources. Thomson, a self-taught artist, had a profound connection to the Canadian wilderness, often sketching en plein air before creating larger canvases like this one in his studio. Tragically, Thomson disappeared and was found dead in Canoe Lake in 1917, just a year after painting 'The Drive,' leaving behind a powerful legacy of Canadian landscape art that deeply influenced the Group of Seven.
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The Drive
Tom Thomson, 1916
