Willard Morse Mitchell, French Habitant Homes in the Laurentians, depicts a quiet rural winter scene rendered in a fresh, expressive watercolour style. A cluster of simple habitant houses dominates the right foreground, their steeply pitched roofs laden with snow and their walls painted in warm ochres, yellows, and muted reds. These saturated colours stand out vividly against the surrounding whites and cool blues of the snow-covered ground and distant hills.

A gently curving track or frozen stream leads the eye through the composition, guiding the viewer from the foreground toward rolling Laurentian hills in the background. Mitchell uses loose, confident brushwork and transparent washes to suggest drifting snow, soft shadows, and subtle changes in elevation. The sky is pale and atmospheric, blending seamlessly with the distant landscape to create a sense of depth and cold winter air.

Small details—such as laundry hanging outdoors, fencing, and dark accents of outbuildings or tools—add a quiet sense of daily life without breaking the overall stillness of the scene. The balance between strong colour blocks and fluid, impressionistic handling reflects Mitchell’s ability to combine structure with spontaneity.

Overall, the painting captures the character of traditional French-Canadian rural life in winter, emphasising both the resilience of the architecture and the calm beauty of the Laurentian countryside.