MacDonald’s subject here is the Montreal River Valley in Algoma, a region he first explored in 1918 and would return to many times in years to follow. It was an area his friend A.Y. Jackson associated with him, stating, "I always think of Algoma as MacDonald’s country." The painting’s decorative nature reveals MacDonald’s background as a commercial designer. His use of strong outlines is especially effective at capturing the stillness of the landscape.
