Mount Lefroy 1932

J.E.H. MacDonald made this painting of Mount Lefroy, and it feels like he built the mountain right there on the canvas. The way he's applied the paint in these deliberate strokes—it's like he's laying down each stone, one by one. I love how solid and chunky the textures are, especially in the foreground. Those rocks aren't just shapes; they’re heavy, real. He hasn't blended things smoothly; instead, he’s left the marks raw and exposed. Look at the way he defines the edges of the rock with dark outlining. It’s not just about depicting a mountain; it’s about the act of building it, piece by piece, with paint. There's something deeply satisfying about seeing that process laid bare. MacDonald’s work reminds me a bit of Cezanne, who was also obsessed with structures and forms, breaking them down and rebuilding them with color. Like Cezanne, MacDonald turns painting into a thoughtful exploration of how we see and experience the world.