J.E.H. MacDonald’s Sturgeon Bay is a graphite drawing depicting the rugged landscape of Georgian Bay in Ontario. Viewed from a rocky shoreline, the composition looks across calm water toward a series of low islands, wooded ridges and rounded granite outcrops. MacDonald uses broad, sweeping strokes to establish the distant hills, while darker, more concentrated shading defines the trees and rocky shoreline. The gently curved foreground rock provides a sense of depth, drawing the viewer into the expansive landscape.

The drawing demonstrates MacDonald’s keen observation of the Canadian wilderness and his ability to capture the essential character of a landscape with relatively few lines. His economical use of graphite conveys the contours, textures and natural rhythms of the terrain, qualities that would become central to the landscape paintings of the Group of Seven.

The drawing is signed and dated 1921, with a handwritten inscription identifying the location as Sturgeon Bay and recording MacDonald’s journey aboard the S.S. North Star. It offers an intimate glimpse into the artist’s travels and his practice of recording the Canadian landscape directly from nature.