This monograph is the result of many years of study. I began my research at the turn of 1970, while under the supervision of François-Marc Gagnon at the University of Montreal. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to him and offer my sincerest thanks for his support of my work. François-Marc Gagnon, who passed just as this book was about to publish, has been a source of inspiration for the many areas of study he so masterfully developed. His contribution to the history of art is immense and can only be equalled by his generous and curious spirit.
I would like to thank the staff of the many museums, archives, libraries, religious communities, and parishes, in addition to the numerous art galleries and collectors who offered their support. One person in particular contributed crucial insight into the life and work of Ozias Leduc. The indefectible memory of Gabrielle Messier (1903–2003), Leduc’s last artist assistant, offered reflection and first-hand knowledge on the career and personality of Leduc. I am privileged to have called her a friend and to have benefited from her generosity and kindness. I must also thank the Beloeil-Mont-Saint-Hilaire Historical Society for their continued support.
For nearly fifty years, I have often returned to the art of Leduc. Several colleagues and students have continued to research the artist of Saint-Hilaire, and I have been inspired by their results. I am particularly grateful to Arlene Gehmacher and Monique Lanthier, who worked very closely with me on the 1996 retrospective held in Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto. Leduc’s art is still current and deserves to be passed on and interpreted for new generations. I hope his work will continue to spread its ideals of knowledge and beauty.
This bilingual digital work would not have been possible without the efforts of the members of the Art Canada Institute. I have been in direct contact with some of them, including Kendra Ward, Michael Rattray, Ersy Contogouris, and Laura Demers, among others. Several other people are directly involved in the production of this book for translation, text editing, graphics, and uploading, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them.
A special thank you to Sara Angel and all the members of the ACI executive, her board of directors, and Sandra L. Simpson, the main sponsor of this book, which will hopefully be a source of inspiration to new generations of Canadians.
From the Art Canada Institute
The Art Canada Institute gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Sandra L. Simpson, the title sponsor of this book.
The Art Canada Institute gratefully acknowledges the other sponsors of the 2018–2019 Canadian Online Art Book Project: Anonymous, Alexandra Bennett in memory of Jalynn Bennett, Consignor Canadian Fine Art, Kiki and Ian Delaney, Maxine Granovsky Gluskin and Ira Gluskin, Gershon Iskowitz Foundation, The Sabourin Family Foundation, and Karen Schreiber and Marnie Schreiber.
We also sincerely thank the Founding Sponsor for the Art Canada Institute: BMO Financial Group; and the Art Canada Institute Patrons: Butterfield Family Foundation,* David and Vivian Campbell,* Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation, Albert E. Cummings,* the Fleck family,* Roger and Kevin Garland,* Glorious and Free Foundation,* Charlotte Gray and George Anderson, The Scott Griffin Foundation,* Jane Huh,* Lawson Hunter, Gershon Iskowitz Foundation,* Alan and Patricia Koval Foundation, Phil Lind,* Nancy McCain and Bill Morneau,* John O’Brian, Gerald Sheff and Shanitha Kachan,* Stephen Smart,* Nalini and Tim Stewart,* and Robin and David Young.*
We thank our Lead Benefactors: Alexandra Baillie, Alexandra Bennett and the Jalynn Bennett Family Foundation,* Grant and Alice Burton, Kiki and Ian Delaney,* Jon S. and Lyne Dellandrea,* Michelle Koerner and Kevin Doyle,* K. James Harrsion, Sarah and Tom Milroy,* Partners in Art,* Sandra L. Simpson,* Pam and Michael Stein,* and Sara and Michael Angel.*
*Indicates a Founding Patron of the Art Canada Institute
The Art Canada Institute gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance of the Archives of Montreal/UQAM; Art Gallery of Ontario (Lee-Anne Wielonda); Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Celine Gorham); Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (Geneviève Tessier); Chapel of the Bishop’s Palace of Sherbrooke; Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation; Church of the Parish of Saint-Hilaire; Church of Saint-Enfant-Jésus; Church of Saint-Rémi de Napierville; Eric Klinkhoff Gallery (Johanne Boisjoli, Eric Klinkhoff); Harvard Art Museums; House of Commons Collection (Barbara Amona, Danielle Migeon, Brandon Potter); Lady Lever Art Gallery; Monastère des Augustines (Ariane Blanchet-Robitaille); Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Marie-Claude Saia); Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (Pascale Tremblay); Musée d’art de Joliette (Nathalie Galego); Musée des beaux-arts de Saint-Hilaire (Noémie Chevalier, Chantal Millette); Musée des beaux-arts de Tourcoing; Musée de la civilisation du Québec; Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (Myriam Le Lan); Musée Pierre-Boucher (Andrée Brousseau, Serge Desaulniers); National Gallery of Canada (Raven Amiro, Anne Eschapasse, Véronique Malouin, Susan Short); Patrimoine culturel de Shawinigan (Stéphane Jutras, Violette Tetrault); Philadelphia Museum of Art; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Studio International Foundation; Tate London; Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library (John Shoesmith); Univers culturel de Saint-Sulpice (Pascale Bergeron, Jean Rey-Regazzi); and Jim Burant, Laurier Lacroix, Simone Leduc-Lamy, Gilles Lessard, Paul Litherland, and Daniel Olson. The Art Canada Institute recognizes the numerous private collectors who have given permission for their work to be published in this edition.
IMAGE SOURCES
Every effort has been made to secure permissions for all copyrighted material. The Art Canada Institute will gladly correct any errors or omissions.
Credit for Cover Image
Ozias Leduc, Still Life, Onions (Nature morte, oignons), 1892. (See below for details.)
Credit for Banner Images
Biography: Ozias Leduc, My Portrait (Mon portrait), 1899. (See below for details.)
Key Works: Ozias Leduc, Green Apples (Pommes vertes), 1914–15. (See below for details.)
Significance & Critical Issues: Ozias Leduc, The Choquette Farm, Beloeil (La ferme Choquette, Belœil), 1901. (See below for details.)
Style & Technique: Ozias Leduc, Boy with Bread (L’enfant au pain), 1892–99. (See below for details.)
Sources & Resources: Ozias Leduc, Road to the Church (Saint-Hilaire) (Le chemin de l’église [Saint-Hilaire]), 1899. (See below for details.)
Where to See: Ozias Leduc, View of the decor of the Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation, Shawinigan, painted by Ozias Leduc, 1942–55. (See below for details.)
Portrait of the Honourable Louis-Philippe Brodeur (Portrait de l’honorable Louis-Philippe Brodeur), 1901–4. Collection of the House of Commons, Ottawa.
Cover of Le Nigog, 1918. Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library, University of Toronto.
Cover of the first issue of The Studio, 1893, by Aubrey Beardsley. Studio International Foundation, London/New York.
Dying Philosopher, c.1778–1800, attributed to Caspar Bernhard Hardy. Philadelphia Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. Edgar Munson (1943-95-105).
Early Evening, Winter, 1912, by J.E.H. MacDonald. Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, gift of the Canadian National Exhibition Association (1965.18).
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (detail), 1647–52, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome. Image Source: Wikipedia Commons.
Engraving of Franz J. Gall with phrenology skulls. Courtesy of Wellcome Collection, London, United Kingdom.
Gabrielle Messier working on “Caryatid Angel Carrying a Phylactery” at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation, Shawinigan, c.1942–55. Photographer unknown.
Glass in a Saucer (Verre dans une soucoupe), 1923, by Paul-Émile Borduas and Ozias Leduc. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Renée Borduas Bequest (2018.233.1 2). Photo credit: MMFA, Christine Guest.
Guinevere and Iseult: Cartoon for Stained Glass, 1862, by William Morris. Tate, London, presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest in 1940 (N05222).
Cover of Les Phases, 1910, by Guy Delahaye. Guillaume-Lahaise Fonds, Archives of Montreal/UQAM, (139P-660/4).
Love and Reverie, 2001, by Daniel Olson. Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec City, purchased with a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts (2008.76). Image courtesy of Daniel Olson.
Marie-Louise Leduc and Ernest Cormier with Ozias Leduc (background), Saint-Hilaire, 1924. Photograph by Fernand Préfontaine. Fonds Fernand Préfontaine (P14). Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec City, purchased in 2004 (2006.335.111). Photo credit: MNBAQ, Jean-Guy Kérouac.
Nocturne in Blue and Silver, c.1871–72, James McNeill Whistler. Harvard Art Museums / Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop (1943.176).
Phrenology bust, mid-nineteenth century. Collections de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Monastère des Augustines.
Poster for the exhibition Ozias Leduc : Une œuvre d’amour et de rêve, 1996, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Robert de Roquebrune, Madame Fernand Préfontaine (née Rose-Anne Bélanger), Madame Robert de Roquebrune (née Josée Angers), Ozias Leduc, Léo-Pol Morin, Robert Mortier, and Jane Mortier, Saint-Hilaire, 1918. Photograph by Fernand Préfontaine. Fonds Fernand Préfontaine (P14). Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec City. Purchased in 2004 (2006.333.06). Photo credit: MNBAQ, Denis Legendre.
Saint-Anne de Beaupré, 1897, by James Wilson Morrice. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, William J. Morrice Bequest (1943.785). Photo credit: MMFA.
Saint Remi Baptising Clovis, 1877, by Luigi Capello. Church of Saint-Rémi de Napierville. Photo credit: Paul Litherland.
The Annunciation, 1876–79, by Edward Burne-Jones. Lady Lever Art Gallery, Bebington, United Kingdom (LL3634).
The Annunciation (L’Annonciation), 1913, by Maurice Denis. Courtesy of Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tourcoing/Musée d’Orsay (RF 1977 138, LUX 1031).
The Mystical Painting (La peinture mystique), 1896–97, by Napoléon Bourassa. Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec City, gift of the Bourassa estate in 1941 (1943.55.213).
View of the exhibition Ozias Leduc: An Art of Love and Reverie, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1996.
View of the exhibition Ozias Leduc: An Art of Love and Reverie, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1996.
Wedding photograph of Ozias Leduc and Marie-Louise (née Lebrun, widow of Luigi Capello), 1906. Photograph attributed to Ernest Lebrun. Private collection.
Winter Evening, Québec, c.1905, by Maurice Cullen. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased in 1914 (1044).
Art Canada Institute
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Title: Ozias Leduc : life & work / Laurier Lacroix ; translated by Doris Cowan and Michael Frederick Rattray.
Other titles: Ozias Leduc. English
Names: Lacroix, Laurier, author. | Leduc, Ozias. Paintings. Selections. | Art Canada Institute, issuing body.
Description: Translation of: Ozias Leduc : sa vie et son œuvre.
Identifiers: Canadiana 20190110538 | ISBN 9781487102012 (HTML) | ISBN 9781487102029 (PDF)
Subjects: LCSH: Leduc, Ozias. | LCSH: Leduc, Ozias—Criticism and interpretation. | LCSH: Painters—Canada—Biography.
Classification: LCC ND249.L385 L3413 2019 | DDC 759.11—dc23
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