Marc-Aurèle Fortin

"Best known for landscapes in which stately green trees hold pride of place, Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888-1970) is one of the most popular and beloved figures in the history of Quebec art. His prolific body of work bursts with stunning expressive power, from the 1909 Chicago paintings to the Montreal-area views of the 1920s and 30s and the landscapes of the Charlevoix, Gaspé and Saguenay regions captured in the 1940s. This major book reproduces more than 150 oils, water colours, etchings and pastels that proclaim the modernity of a virtuoso draftsman and colourist. Illustrating the milestones of a remarkable journey of exploration and freedom, it surveys the career of one of the most accomplished landscape painters of his day. His singular style, developed through endless experiments with colour, has indelibly marked the collective imagination. Reflecting many years of research, the book probes the Fortin "legend" in different ways, placing the artist and his work in a broad historical context. Written by authorities in the art of this period - Richard Foisy, François-Marc Gagnon, Michèle Grandbois, Sarah Mainguy and Esther Trépanier - it traces his biographical and aesthetic footsteps in detail and reveals the full import of his contribution to the history of Canadian art."--P. [4] of cover.