Tom Thomson

by Dennis Reid

A visually stunning volume, with 140 full-colour plates of the artist's work, and 100 black-and-white photos. Essays are written by art writers and curators, leading authorities on Thomson and his place in the Canadian cultural landscape, and give the book a complex, critical perspective on Thomson's life. This book examines Thomson from many different angles - not just in terms of his biography and work, but in the context of the period in which he lived, making this a definitive volume for Group of Seven enthusiasts.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

386 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Len · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Tom Thomson's work and this book deserves 5 stars for that alone. The reproductions were excellent and laid out chronologically. However some of the essays that were added didn't really do anything for me. There seemed to be a lot of conjecture about Tom Thomson and the things that influenced him. I got more out of Ross King's book called Defiant Spirits when it comes to the life of Tom Thomson.

[Patrick Martel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3/5, I liked it)
J’aime ces livres dédiés à un artiste, surtout lorsque la publication découle d’une exposition muséale, d’une rétrospective consacrée à l’œuvre entière d’un Maître. Ici, c’est une collaboration des Musées de beaux-arts de l’Ontario et du Canada qui est à l’origine du livre. La qualité des textes (même si inégale) ainsi que la reproduction chronologique des tableaux en font un incontournable pour s’immerger dans l’œuvre de Tom Thomson.

La première moitié rassemble des textes exposant divers pans de la vie et de la courte carrière du peintre canadien (son enfance, son art, son style, ses techniques, ses contemporains), alors que la seconde moitié, page par page, présente le résultat visuel de son œuvre.

J’ai bien aimé. C'est un très beau livre.

[Tracee · Rating 3 out of 5]

650 page very large heavy edition. Mostly focussed on Mr Thomson's paintings.

[Gregory Klages · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an exhibition catalogue, of sorts, this is a great publication. It includes high-quality reproductions of some much loved as well as some lesser-known Thomson paintings and drawings. It also includes some helpful appendixes, such a list of Thomson's exhibitions during his lifetime. Some of the essays, however, focus on areas of such special, narrow interest, that they will bore the average reader. Additionally, some of the content, such as the transcription of some of Thomson's letters, suffers from poor source citation (such as when the letter, held in a public archive, is listed as coming from the author's collection). A final note: I credit commentator Andrew Hunter for deciding to not trade in the unsubstantiated gossip about Thomson's last days. His notation regarding the questionable quality of much of this popular guesswork was a refreshing perspective.