The artwork titled “Burnt Land at Sunset” was painted by Tom Thomson in 1915. Executed in oil on wood, this piece is characterized by elements of Post-Impressionism and Art Nouveau (Modern). It falls under the genre of landscape as a sketch and study and is currently housed in the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, Canada.
In the artwork, a scene of a burnt forest landscape is depicted at sunset. The vivid and dynamic brushstrokes capture the essence of the evening sky, with warm tones intermingling with the subtle yet poignant cool hues of the burnt trees and ground. The taller, charred trees, now skeletal, stand starkly against the backdrop of a soft yet vibrant sky, rendered in shades of orange, pink, and blue. The ground beneath is textured and varied, hinting at the aftermath of a fire, with patches of scorched earth and resilient greenery. Through its compelling color palette and expressive applications of paint, the artwork communicates a sense of both desolation and natural beauty in the rebuilding landscape.
