Painted c 1970, Branches reflects Henri Masson’s mature approach to landscape, where line, colour, and movement combine to create a vivid sense of immediacy.

Henri Masson was born in Namur, Belgium, in 1907, where he began his career apprenticing in a metal engraving shop. This early experience instilled in him a strong sense of craftsmanship and attention to intricate detail, qualities that would remain evident throughout his artistic career. In 1921, he immigrated to Canada, settling in Ottawa, where he studied at the Ottawa Art Association and later became involved with the Ottawa Art Club. A formative moment in his development came through exposure to the work of the Group of Seven at the National Gallery of Canada, which deeply influenced his engagement with the Canadian landscape.

Masson expanded his technical range through studies in art glass, which contributed to his distinctive and vibrant use of colour. Over time, he became known for a wide range of subjects, including still lifes, musical scenes, village life, and landscapes of Quebec. In 1945, he committed fully to painting as a full-time profession, marking the beginning of his most productive and mature period.

Throughout his career, Masson worked across multiple media, including oil, watercolour, charcoal, casein, ink, pastel, and red chalk. His travels across Europe and Mexico further enriched his artistic vocabulary, while his work gained international recognition through major exhibitions such as the New York World's Fair 1939, the São Paulo Biennale 1951, and the Quebec Pavilion at Expo ’70 in Osaka. His work was also widely exhibited in Canada and is held in major public collections, including the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada.

Masson’s achievements were further recognized through his election to numerous important artistic organizations, including the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the Canadian Group of Painters, among others. His work reached a broad audience when one of his paintings was reproduced by UNICEF and another was featured on a Canadian postage stamp.