John Young Johnstone was best known for his landscapes, urban scenes and portraits. Owing to his relatively short active painting period, Johnstone’s work is relatively rare and little is known of his life. His style of painting has been described as a mixture of simplified realism with Impressionist influences. His work can be divided into two periods, which at times overlap. His earlier period, which falls between the years of 1911 to 1915, shows a more structured and colourful style. During this period he employed a number of techniques which showed influences from the Impressionists. His later period from 1916 onwards displays a toned-down palette and a melancholy which was reflected in his personal life. While he continued to show Impressionist influences, he also introduced his own perception of his subjects.

Johnstone was born in Montreal. He studied at the Art Association of Montreal under William Brymner, R.C.A. and then in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière,where he studied under Lucien Simon and Émile-René Ménard. During his time in Paris he also traveled through Switzerland, France and Belgium. He found much of his success in his early thirties. He taught at several Montreal institutions and his work was exhibited at the Art Association of Montreal spring shows as well as the Royal Canadian Academy. In 1920 he was elected to the ARCA. He was a member of the Pen and Pencil Club and the Beaver Hall Group, an association of artists from Montreal who met while studying art under William Brymner. Though he associated with many celebrated artists, including Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté and Alfred Laliberté, Johnstone was reclusive. In 1930 he traveled to Havana, Cuba, where he died at the age of 43.

The National Gallery of Canada have four of his canvases in their collection, including two street scenes, a rural scene and a harbour scene. His work is also included in the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Johnstone is described in Newton MacTavish’s The Fine Arts in Canada as among the best painters in Canada and the book includes a reproduction of his painting entitled A Quebec Village.