Although Gagnon is best known for his landscapes, in poor weather he painted interior scenes. Following the tradition of the Dutch Golden Age, the artist captures a close-up view of an older man cutting bread for his modest meal. While the figure fills the canvas, the emphasis is on his hands – the same hands that toiled upon the land during the day. Gagnon served as president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts from 1918 to 1922.
