The Canadian-American painter Ernest Lawson was best known as a member of the American group The Eight.  He was interested in both the urban environment of New York City and the bucolic landscape of the Hudson River. His style was close to that of the pure Impressionists, and many of his paintings focus on human influence on landscapes. He painted numerous urban city scenes, as well as snow scenes. Although he was affiliated with the Social Realists, Lawson did not adopt the social realist subject matter as the primary focus of his paintings.

After moving to the United States, Lawson began to focus his work on landscapes. He did not paint controversial subjects and remained relatively anonymous. He was inspired by fellow American artists William Glackens and Robert Henri, who encouraged him to explore a wider variety of subjects. In 1898, Lawson moved to New York City and studied art at the Art Students League. While there, he met English Impressionist Alfred Sisley, who introduced him to impressionism.

However, his style of painting has been associated with more modern and abstract art. The artist was born in 1873 and died in 1932. His paintings are among the best known from this period.