Is It Art if There’s No Train? CPR artists in Glacier National Park

Regardless of the corporate motives behind the movement of eastern Canadian artists into the west, they provided iconic images during a time redefining our national identity. Not only was the CPR patronage program effective in promoting ridership on the railway, it was extremely effective in bringing about widespread acceptance in Canada of the 'myth of the land' as a basis for art and literature.

As we delve into their creations, we not only appreciate the evolution of artistic expression but also witness the shaping of a 'Canadian school' of painting that laid the foundation for future generations of landscape and railway artists.

And what of my question in the opening paragraph: Do you prefer art with or without a train?