Georges Sadeler

The Spirit of Winnipeg

During the last ice age, glacial Lake Agassiz was the largest lake in the world, spanning much of Canada and the U.S., with numerous lakes forming in its basin, including Lake Winnipeg. The beginning of this composition illustrates how the ice of the prehistoric glacier is slowly melting, drop by drop, announcing the end of the Ice Age. Vegetation in Canada is beginning to flourish again, and the first rays of sunshine of a new era are illuminating the majestic Lake Winnipeg. Life flourishes again as Canada's indigenous people sing their Sun Dance, cross the prairie on horseback, and go hunting. The conclusion of the composition pays tribute to this magnificent, shimmering Lake Winnipeg and its indigenous inhabitants.