SUZOR-COTÉ, Marc Aurèle de Foy

Canadian painter and sculptor. He studied in Paris in the 1890s, then returned to paint Canadian genre scenes in an Impressionist style. He was also skillful as a sculptor, as shown in the bronze group, Caughnawaga Women (Vancouver, Art Gallery).

Suzor-Coté’s highly successful career was the result of his sure talent, his extroverted personality and favourable circumstances. In secondary school, his talent for drawing attracted attention and in 1887 he became involved in church decoration projects.

He led a cosmopolitan existence between 1891 and 1912, travelling constantly between Canada, the US and Europe. He studied in France (1891-94, 1897-1901) where he acquired sound training from Bonnat at the École des Beaux-Arts, and later from Henri-Joseph Harpignies (1819-1916), and in the open studios of Julian and Colarossi. From 1892 on, he attracted attention at exhibitions of the Art Association of Montreal (he won the Jessie Dow award for Les fumées, port de Montréal in 1912), at the salons of the Société des artistes français in Paris as early as 1894, and at Royal Canadian Academy of Arts exhibitions. In 1901, William Scott and Son of Montréal became his dealer, spreading his popularity. Further European travels 1904-07 and 1911-12 firmly established his reputation.

As his fame grew, however, so did his desire for a more private life. After 1912 he worked in the Arthabaska studio he had built in 1895 and in his Montréal studio. He mastered pastels as well as oils, and in 1911 began developing his talent for sculpting, in which he excelled after 1918. In this medium he returned to the rural subjects of his canvases and, inspired by his surroundings or by literary works, he gave them new life. He was able to capture famous historical events as well as winter scenes with subtle use of colour and disciplined execution. A master artist, he had to abandon all his activity after becoming paralysed in 1927.