Alexander Young Jackson
Alexander Young Jackson was a prominent Canadian painter, born in Montréal on October 3, 1882. He began his artistic training at a young age, studying under noted artists and developing his craft through various jobs and night classes. In 1907, he traveled to Paris to study Impressionism, immersing himself in the vibrant art scene there before returning to Canada in 1912. Jackson became an influential figure in the Canadian art community, co-founding the Group of Seven in 1920, which sought to capture the Canadian landscape using bold colors and emotive brushwork, distinctly different from the established art norms of the time.
Despite facing initial skepticism, the group's unique style gained popularity throughout the 1920s and became a defining force in Canadian art. Jackson was known for his deep connection to nature, often sketching landscapes during his travels, which he later painted in his studio. He lived for many years at the Studio Building in Toronto and moved later in life to Kleinburg, Ontario, where he spent his final years. Jackson passed away on April 5, 1974, and is buried at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, a site that honors his contributions to Canada's artistic heritage. Some of his notable works include "Canal du Loing near Episy," "First Snow, Algoma County," and "Spring on the Onaping River."
Alexander Young Jackson
Painter
- Born: October 3, 1882
- Died: April 5, 1974
Contribution: Alexander Young Jackson is recognized as one of Canada’s most influential artists. A self-declared “landscape man,” he helped introduce a new type of artistic style to the country, one filled with bold colors and sharp, quick brushstrokes. Jackson was one of the original members of the Group of Seven, an early-twentieth-century association of seven landscape painters who iconically depicted the Canadian landscape. He was also a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters, who worked to throw off the constraints of European artistic style and create a truly Canadian style of painting that reflected Canada’s landscape and rugged wilderness.
Early Life
Alexander Young Jackson was born in Montréal on October 3, 1882. In 1891, his bankrupt father abandoned the family. In 1895, Jackson’s artistic training began, partly through jobs he held and partly through schools he attended at night. One such institution, the Conseil des arts et manufactures in Montréal, allowed him to study under the renowned artist Edmond Dyonnet. Jackson remained there from 1896 to 1899.
In 1905, Jackson travelled to the United States to work in a commercial art firm in Chicago while taking night classes at the Art Institute of Chicago. He continued to feel a stronger pull toward painting than toward commercial art, however, and in 1907 he pooled his savings and travelled to Paris, France, to study Impressionism at the Académie Julian under Jean-Paul Laurens. While attending school, Jackson spent his time exploring the new country and sketching what he found there. He did not return to Canada until 1912.
Art and Artistic Influences
Not long after his return home, Jackson was convinced by other members of the art community to move to Toronto, which he did in 1913. Following the outbreak of World War I, Jackson enlisted in the army in 1915 and was sent to Europe. In 1917, he returned home and was asked to paint a portrait of a Canadian soldier. Although Jackson explained that portraits were not exactly his forte, he completed the assignment and was promoted to lieutenant.
In 1920, Jackson and fellow artists Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, Frank (Franz) Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J. E. H. MacDonald, and Frederick H. Varley banded together and created the Group of Seven. At first, the organization was not looked upon favorably by others in the art community. This did not stop the group or its members’ ambitions, and they continued to show their visions of nature through their art. The strong brushstrokes, bold colors, and attempts to fuse landscapes with emotion were vastly different from the refined art of the time. As more paintings were produced, the more accepted this artistic style became.
The group’s popularity began to spread quickly during the 1920s, causing its members to greatly influence the Canadian art scene. The group disbanded in 1933, but many of their works can be viewed in Canada’s art museums.
Some of Jackson’s most famous paintings include Canal du Loing near Episy (1909), First Snow, Algoma County (1920), and Spring on the Onaping River (1953).
Personal Life
Little is known about Jackson’s personal life. He traveled extensively well into his eighties, primarily during summer months, in order to sketch landscapes, which he then would recapture on canvas during the winter. For thirty-six years, he lived and painted at the Studio Building in Toronto, which was the home and studio for many of the Group of Seven painters. He never married nor did he have any children.
Near the end of his life, Jackson moved to Kleinburg, Ontario, and lived with art benefactors Signe and Robert McMichael on the grounds of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, a Canadian national gallery and property that the McMichaels donated to the Province of Ontario for the benefit of all Canadians.
Alexander Young Jackson died in Kleinburg, Ontario, on April 5, 1974. He is buried in a small cemetery located on the grounds of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
Principal Works
The Edge of the Maple Wood, 1910
Entrance to Halifax Harbour, 1919
Early Spring Quebec, 1923
Winter Charlevoix County, 1932–33
Elevators at Night, Pincher Creek, 1947
Hills at Great Bear Lake, 1953
Bibliography
“A. Y. Jackson.” National Gallery of Canada. National Gallery of Canada, n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Davis, Ann. “A. Y. Jackson.” Canadian Encyclopedia. Canadian Encyclopedia, n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Gilmore, Alison. “Well Grounded.” Canada’s History 90.4 (2010): 48, Print.
Jackson, A. Y. A Painter’s Country: The Autobiography of A. Y. Jackson. Toronto: Clark Irwin, 1976. Print.
Kent, Norman. “Two Canadian Masters of Landscape.” American Artist 24.3 (Mar. 1960): 20. Print.
King, Ross. Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven. Madeira Park: Douglas, 2011. Print.
Varley, Christopher, “Group of Seven,” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Canadian Encyclopedia, n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Waddington, Jim, and Sue Waddington. In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven. Fredericton, NB, Can.: Goose Lane, 2013. Print.