Lot 105
MARC-AURÈLE DE FOY SUZOR-COTÉ, R.C.A.
Additional Images
Provenance:
Private Collection, New York
Literature:
Laurier Lacroix, Suzor-Coté: Light and Matter, Le Musée du Québec, Québec, 2002, page 268, and page 269, cat.114 for The Portage, reproduced in colour.
Pierre L’Allier, Suzor-Coté: L’oeuvre Sculpté (catalogue), Le Musée du Québec, Québec, 1991, page 63 and page 62, fig. 14 for Le Portageur, reproduced.
Note:
This bronze depicts the character Francois Paradis from Louis Hémon’s Maria Chapdelaine. Pierre L’Allier notes that as in most works by the artist, this subject is not presented as a stock type but rather “est ici tres personalisé”. L’Allier continues: “La physionamie contribue de façon importante a préciser le caractère psychologique du portageur. L’homme transportant sur son dos les vivres necessaires a sa subsistence en foret, semble a la fois determine et perseverant dans sa demarche.”
Suzor-Coté had tackled this subject in his illustration for Maria Chapdelaine (1916) but there are distinct differences between the graphic work and sculpture.