The Pool, 1934

Painting by Lionel LeMoine FitzGerald of a zoomed-in view of an outdoor pool or lake with the edges seen only at the very top and bottom of the frame. The sky and tall grasses are reflected in the water, giving it a mostly green and muted blue colour. A mirrored reflection of thin, curving reeds gives an abstract quality to the painting overall.

Lionel LeMoine FitzGerald, The Pool, 1934, oil on canvas, mounted on Masonite, 36.2 x 43.7 cm, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

The Pool moves FitzGerald’s art furthest into the territory of advanced Canadian modernism. Viewing it is like looking through the zoom lens of a camera. The viewer’s field of vision is restricted to a small expanse of water, the reflection of the sky, and a few gently swaying grasses. The geometry of the reeds is accentuated by their mirror reflection in the water, making it difficult to read exactly where the surface is located. Without precedent in FitzGerald’s oeuvre, The Pool is virtually subject-less, focused on abstract pattern.

Gallery

The Pool - Art Canada