About A.J. Casson

Alfred Joseph Casson(1898–1992) was the youngest member of the Group of Seven, Canada's most famous collective of landscape painters. He was invited to join in 1926, replacing Frank Johnston.

While the other Group members favoured bold, dramatic depictions of northern Ontario's rugged wilderness, Casson developed a gentler, more intimate style. He was drawn to the quiet beauty of southern Ontario — the small villages, rolling farmland, and country roads that were even then beginning to disappear.

“I loved to paint villages, and I'm glad, because they're pretty much gone now.”

The Group of Seven

Formed in 1920, the Group of Seven sought to create a distinctly Canadian style of art — one that captured the raw power and beauty of the Canadian landscape. They travelled across the country by train and canoe, painting en plein air in all seasons.

Casson's contribution was unique: while his peers painted the north, he painted thehome — the villages, farms, and countryside that everyday Canadians recognized. His work resonates because it captures a Canada that once was, and that many still remember.

Legacy

Casson's work is held in major collections including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. His paintingCountry Crisis sold at auction for over $1 million, placing him among Canada's most valued artists.

At Casson Studio, we bring his timeless vision to a new generation — offering museum-quality prints that let you bring a piece of Canadian heritage into your home.