Works produced by Group of Seven founding member J.E.H. MacDonald after his return from England in 1907 show the pronounced impact of the artworks he had seen there, particularly the atmospheric works of John Constable. Twilight Among the Cedars, Winter, a delicate oil sketch from 1910, is an excellent example of this influence. With a gestural, expressive application of paint and a clear focus on light and atmosphere, MacDonald explores a modern approach to landscape. The sketch encapsulates the artist’s deeply held belief that his immediate surroundings and experience were deserving subjects for his art. The small oil sketches MacDonald created during these early years are of foundational importance to Canadian art. They resulted in his introduction to Lawren Harris, and their subsequent invitation of A.Y. Jackson to Toronto in 1913, setting in motion the events that would give rise to the Group of Seven.