Arthur Lismer was born in England in 1885. He emigrated from Sheffield, England to Canada in 1911. He settled in Toronto, Ontario and took a job with Grip - a commercial design company. The collaboration of four artists employed at Grip gradually evolved into as the " Group of Seven," easily the most famous art movement in Canadian history. Another artist also associated with the group is Tom Thompson (though technically he died before the group formed), who also worked with the cadre at Grip.

Arthur Lismer's style was influenced by his pre-Canadian experience (primarily in Antwerp) where he found the Barbizon and post-impressionist movements a key inspiration.

Collaborating with the group of artists who would, in 1919, become the Group of Seven, Lismer exhibits the characteristic organic style, and spiritual connection with the landscape that would embody that group's work.