Aftermath of Storm (Lake Superior Sketch XXXIV) - Lawren Harris

A modernist oil sketch by Lawren Harris, depicting the clearing skies over the rugged terrain of Lake Superior.

This work, part of the Lake Superior series, captures the atmospheric conditions of the Canadian wilderness. Lawren Harris, a founding member of the Group of Seven, sought to interpret the northern terrain through a simplified, rhythmic visual language. The composition focuses on the interaction between the heavy, dark landmass and the expansive, swirling sky.

In this sketch, Harris employs a restricted palette to convey the mood following a weather event. The clouds are rendered with deliberate, rounded forms, suggesting movement and the clearing of the atmosphere. The foreground, a solid, dark shape, provides a grounding element against the ethereal quality of the sky. Harris often returned to the north shore of Lake Superior during the 1920s, finding the stark, rugged geography suitable for his developing modernist aesthetic.

His approach to this subject involves the reduction of detail to essential shapes and lines. By stripping away the incidental, he directs the viewer toward the structural qualities of the scene. The paint application is smooth, reflecting his interest in clarity and order. This piece functions as a study of light and form, demonstrating his transition from traditional representation toward the more abstract, spiritualised interpretations of nature that defined his later career. The work remains a clear example of his ability to transform a specific geographical location into a universalised vision of the Canadian north.