In Skiing Party, Wilkie Kilgour captures a cheerful group of skiers descending a bright Laurentian hillside, their figures moving in a loose, lively rhythm through fresh snow. The scene unfolds beneath tall, leafless hardwoods whose slender trunks rise against a pale grey-green winter sky. Beyond them, undulating ridges of violet and cobalt suggest the cold, distant sweep of the northern landscape.

A cluster of deep blue evergreens anchors the middle ground, their shadows cutting sharply into the white slope. Nestled just ahead of the skiers is a warm yellow house with smoke rising from its chimney—a comforting landmark that adds a sense of welcome and habitation to the wintry quiet.

Kilgour’s brushwork is vigorous and spontaneous, characteristic of his small plein-air oil sketches. Snow is rendered with textured strokes of white, lavender, and blue, capturing the flicker of light on compacted trails and untouched drifts. One skier in a bright red jacket leads the way, followed by companions in muted browns and greens, their forms simplified yet full of movement.

The painting conveys both the simple camaraderie of outdoor sport and the serene beauty of rural Quebec in winter, making Skiing Party a warm, intimate moment within a broad, frosty landscape.