This 1938 pastel by Ottawa painter Frank Hennessey captures a quiet winter roadway cutting through a dense northern forest. The scene is defined by Hennessey’s characteristic balance of crisp structure and atmospheric softness: pale snow blankets the winding path, its surface broken by subtle lavender and blue shadows suggesting late-afternoon winter light. Small patches of exposed earth warm the otherwise cool palette.

On both sides of the road, dark evergreens rise heavily, contrasted by the slender white trunks of birches standing bare at centre. Their vertical lines draw the eye inward, leading the viewer deeper into the wooded distance where the road bends out of sight. Foreground grasses poke through the snow in ochre and rust tones, adding texture and a sense of seasonal transition.

The sky above is a clear, cold blue — a typical Hennessey touch — giving the composition an airy lift against the darker forests. Overall, the work conveys a serene, contemplative winter moment, rooted in the artist’s keen observation of the Canadian landscape and his mastery of pastel as a medium.