The artwork titled “Northern Lights” by Tom Thomson, created in 1917, exemplifies the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement and falls within the genre of cloudscape.
In “Northern Lights,” an ethereal display of the aurora borealis dominates the night sky. The luminous green and pale yellow streaks of light dance amidst a midnight blue backdrop, punctuated by a scattering of stars. The dark, silhouetted landscape beneath serves to ground the composition, consisting of a shadowed mountain range and sparse, leafless trees. In the foreground, a reflective body of water introduces further depth with its serene, icy surface. The painting captures the atmospheric beauty of this natural phenomenon, highlighting the artist’s prowess in portraying sublime, transient moments in nature.