Today we ask a question unthinkable for many Canadians: were the Group of Seven painters really that great? Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, we’re not defaming these most iconic of Canadian landscape artists. But here’s what we have in mind. 

We’re revisiting the meteoric global rise of these remarkable early 20th century painters through a modern-day lens — not discounting the greatness of their original work, but asking Canadians to challenge the story we’ve all told ourselves with a bit more nuance and complexity. 

So we thought, who better to explore this modern perspective than an objective outsider who didn’t grow up with these paintings in every classroom, on coasters in your parents’ living room or in gift shops from Vancouver to Halifax? Someone who might pose the questions that we Canadians might not even think to ask.

Award-winning American NPR producer Scott Gurian finds the story on an Ontario road trip that both art lovers and outdoorsy types would relish retracing. 

If you’d like to experience Algonquin Provincial Park like Scott, check in at Arowhon Pines, a luxurious all-inclusive getaway inside the park. For a more rustic experience on the land and lakes, swing by Algonquin Outfitters for all your equipment rental needs, or view their available guided canoe trips. To see works by the Group of Seven for yourself, plan a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection; or, to see where the group got its start, take a tour of Toronto’s Arts & Letters Club. Northern Light: The Enduring Mystery of Tom Thomson and the Woman Who Loved Him by Roy McGregor is essential reading on this topic. And finally, special thanks to Ian Tamblyn for permission to use his song “My Heart Belongs to the Northland in Spring” and to James Gray for our theme music.