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Ozias Leduc, an artist between Heaven and Earth
Digital Museums Canada

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Life's moments

Detail of a period photo showing two children seated on their mother's lap.
Detail of a period photograph illustrating the face of a young Ozias Leduc.
Detail from a historical photograph showing a young Ozias Leduc standing behind two older women seated in front of him.
Life's moments
Life's moments
Image showing Ozias Leduc, seated and seen from behind, painting a religious scene.
Detail of a black and white photograph of Ozias Leduc, aged 70 to 75. He wears a hat, turns his head sideways and has a beard.

From left to right: Emilie Brouillette with a daughter and her son Ozias • Ozias Leduc at 22 • Ozias Leduc in his studio (detail) • Ozias Leduc at 22 • Ozias Leduc

Introduction

Over the years

Ozias Leduc, a sensitive and dreamy child, develops his artistic talents very early on. He would eventually perfect them as an apprentice to church decorators who would teach him skills he would use throughout his artistic career.

It's' in 1897, during a trip to Europe, that Leduc completes his education and learns about various European artistic movements. The discovery of works by contemporary artists, mainly Symbolist, Pre-Raphaelite and Art Nouveau, influenced him deeply.

Ozias Leduc is not only a painter, but also a poet and writer. Since commissions were few and far between during the 1930s, he took the opportunity to write his reflections on art and human nature through some sixty poems, most of them unpublished.

Leduc is an artist who places great importance on education and friendship. When he meets the young Paul-Émile Borduas during the work carried out at the chapel of the bishopric of Sherbrooke in 1922, he hires him as an apprentice and gradually becomes his friend and confidant.

A modern artist

Commentary by Louise Vigneault, Associate Professor at the University of Montreal, Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Department of Art History and Film Studies
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