Robert Pilot’s The First Snow, Terrebonne depicts the quiet onset of winter along a riverbank, where broad sheets of pale ice drift slowly through dark, cold water in the foreground. Beyond the river, a gently rising embankment leads the eye to a cluster of historic buildings, their muted reds, greys, and creams softened by the season’s first snowfall. Leafless trees punctuate the scene, their fine branches etched delicately against a pale, overcast sky.

Dominating the background is the church with its elegant domed tower, rendered with restrained architectural clarity and atmospheric distance. Pilot’s brushwork is loose yet controlled, allowing the textures of snow, water, and masonry to emerge naturally without excess detail. Subtle figures along the path add a sense of scale and quiet human presence, reinforcing the painting’s calm, transitional mood.

The overall effect is contemplative and balanced, capturing Terrebonne at a moment when autumn yields to winter, and colour gives way to a hushed, silvery light characteristic of Pilot’s sensitive handling of Quebec village scenes.