Lawren Harris

Lawren Harris (1885–1970) was one of the most influential figures in Canadian art and a founding member of the Group of Seven. Born in Brantford, Ontario, and raised in a wealthy family in Toronto, Harris studied in Berlin before returning to Canada. In the early 1910s, he began exploring Toronto’s working-class neighbourhoods and urban landscapes, but his artistic vision expanded dramatically after trips north with fellow artists such as J.E.H. MacDonald and A.Y. Jackson. These excursions into Algoma and later the North Shore of Lake Superior inspired his shift toward landscapes of monumental, spiritual presence. 

His works distilled Canada’s northern landscapes — from Lake Superior’s stark cliffs to the icy expanses of the Arctic — into simplified, almost abstract forms. By leading sketching trips, supporting artists financially, and organizing exhibitions, Harris was central to the Group of Seven’s ability to flourish. His advocacy helped establish the landscape as the foundation of modern Canadian painting and positioned artists as interpreters of national spirit rather than mere recorders of scenery.

Beyond his work with the Group of Seven, Harris played a pivotal role in moving Canadian art toward modernism. After relocating to the United States and then to Vancouver, he embraced abstraction, producing radiant, geometric canvases that sought to capture pure spiritual experience. Works by Harris are featured prominently in all of our National and Provincial institutions as well as centrepieces to distinguished private collections.