Returning Home by John Young Johnstone is a 12.3 x 14.3 inch oil on canvas produced in 1928 and signed and dated in the bottom left corner. The piece depicts a dimly lit, rural landscape, presumably at dawn. A single figure can be seen in the foreground carrying red pails in both hands as she makes her way down a path leading towards a lake that can be seen off in the distance. Johnstone uses a muted colour palette and a strong contrast between light and dark to create a quiet and sombre mood in this piece. The trees seem to cast a shadow over the scene just as the rising sun starts to give light to the day.

Born in 1887, John Young Johnstone had a distinct artistic style which employed simplified realism with an impressionist twist. He was a member of the Beaver Hall Group, a modernist collective known for their avant garde style.

Returning Home was on display at Cowley Abbott in Toronto before being added to the Rookleys collection.