A founding member of the Group of Seven and an important voice in the formation of a distinctively Canadian artistic tradition. A Montreal native, Jackson studied painting in Paris before moving to Toronto in 1913; his northern landscapes are characterized by the bold brush strokes and vivid colours of his Impressionist and Post-Impressionist influences.

An artist and illustrator and early member of the Toronto Art Students’ League, Charles William (C.W.) Jefferys worked primarily as a newspaper illustrator in New York City, as well as in Toronto. His illustrations, published in The Picture Gallery of Canadian History in three volumes in 1942, 1945, and 1950, were used regularly in textbooks, shaping an image of Canadian history for a generation of students.

Regarded as the first British Post-Impressionist artist, John was a painter and draftsman recognized for his skilled figure drawings and portraits. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1894 to 1899 and subsequently lived an itinerant artist’s life during which he depicted Romany encampments in Wales, Dorset, and Ireland. During the First World War, John worked for the Canadian government as a war artist. He is the younger brother of painter Gwen John.

A painter recognized for her sensitive depictions of often-solitary women, Gwen John studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1895 to 1898, then travelled to Paris to study under James McNeill Whistler. In 1904, John became a model and lover of Auguste Rodin. She was the older sister of painter Augustus John, though her reputation grew to match her brother’s only after her death.