In the House of Paul-Émile Borduas

Introduction
A Place for Art, A Place to Live
A Cherished Mountain
A Global Refusal
Exploring Borduas' Art
The River of Time
Looking Back

Furnishings

Wood and cast iron console table.
In 1937, Borduas obtained a teaching position at Montréal’s École du Meuble, a prestigious furniture-design school. Wishing to encourage up-and-coming artists, he bought several pieces of furniture made by the school’s students. This furniture, with the clean outlines and combination of straight and curved lines characteristic of the Art Deco style, fit perfectly with the Modernist architecture of his home. The furniture, originally designed for a small country inn, was simply constructed of natural wood.

In 1952, Dr. and Mrs. Campeau acquired the furniture directly from Borduas at the same time that they bought the house. Today, the same furnishings still stand in the great room, thanks to the aid of the Association des fabricants de meubles du Québec (a Québec furniture-makers’ association). They include a couch, two armchairs, a coffee table, a console table and a bookshelf. Furthermore, they have undergone almost no changes over the years – only the upholstering material has been replaced. Since the École du meuble collections were destroyed in a fire in 1940, the furniture in the Borduas house represents a precious example of this production. There are also a few wrought-iron accessories, consisting of plant holder, a lamp base, a console table base and an ashtray stand. The foot of a second ashtray stand made by an artisan friend of Borduas, Gilles Beaugrand, is thought to have been designed by Borduas himself.

Views from yesterday and today, in the direction of the main entrance.



Views from yesterday and today, in the direction of the mountain facing corner of the living room.



Views from yesterday and today, in the direction of the river facing corner of the living room.



Views from yesterday and today, in the direction of the river facing kitchen.



Views from yesterday and today, in the direction of river facing windows.

Header image: Northwest corner of the ground floor inside the house of Paul-Émile Borduas.

Cast iron plant support.