Focus on Droving into the light and analyze the Conception.
The painting's development over seven years from 1914 to 1921 can be largely attributed to the disruptions of World War I, which Heysen described as "madness" and "a stupid and terrible thing,". This caused Heysen considerable depression and confusion especially due to his birthplace in Germany, considered by Australians at the time as the antagonist. The attitude of the time caused hateful judgments within people and thus created tension between Heysen and his community, causing him to connect on a deeper emotional level with his passion for art, and was likely a reason he took pride in compositions which represented the grand landscapes of Australia, the country he was always grateful to live in.
As time passed, this period only grew Heysen's artistic maturity and caused him to add the aforementioned changes of the river red gum. During these tumultuous years, his passion for painting the Australian landscape only grew and confirmed his identity as strictly Australian, notably eschewing the use of blues and greens that were associated with his European counterparts and focusing more on the warm colours that are present in Droving Into the Light. Heysen used the Australian outback and the scenes of grand nature near his residence as an escape from the hardships caused by the time, immersing himself in his paintings to distract himself from the threats posed by the war. It is for this reason that it is said Heysen's paintings, particularly Droving into the Light, with its intense focus on light interacting with a captivating Australian landscape, create an emotional response within viewers that perfectly mimics the feelings of facing Australia's landscapes. This aligns with Heysen's attitude towards his compositions and art in general, one which permeates Droving into the Light and the rest of his paintings:I am only trying to paint as truthfully as I can and that which my eyes see and perhaps what I unconsciously feel. Truth to nature after all is the goal but truth interpreted through temperament – it all seems to become more precious and beautiful the older one grows – and more wonderful. We are given all these marvellous gifts and yet what proportion of mankind really understands and appreciates that which we can have for nothing.
World War I European 1921 Germany river red gum German