Heart and Soul – Quebec Folk Art
Tribute to
NETTIE COVEY SHARPE
Nettie Covey Sharpe left her fine collection of Quebec folk art and Canadiana to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
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Traditional Approaches

For many years, folk artists were inspired by tradition. Rural societies of the not-so-distant past imposed standards of behaviour on their members. People conformed in order to fit in.

As a result, art expressed itself in a rational and fairly structured manner. Depictions of animals and people, for example, were designed to meet societal expectations.

Today, certain artists choose to honour tradition in their works. It is their way of showing that we are all products of our past.

Gallery
  • Generation of weavers - S84-7322
    Generations of weavers succeeded one another in the Brisson families of Bellechasse. Marie-Éva Lemieux and her husband, Thomas Brisson, are shown here in their studio in 1980.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC S84-7322


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  • A variety of textiles - IMG2008-0080-0138-Dm
    Throughout the twentieth century, the Lemieux and Brisson families created a wide variety of textiles: hooked rugs, lengths of cloth, blankets, bedspreads, etc. Other examples of their work can be found on this website.
    Marie-Louise Deruaz
    CMCC IMG2008-0080-0138-Dm
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  • The Black - 2006-67 - IMG2008-0195-0010-Dm
    "Black" (Philippe Blaquière, born in 1876)
    Jean-Julien Bourgault (1910–1996)
    Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Chaudière-Appalaches
    1950
    Wood
    Gift of Georges-Henri Dubé
    CMCC 2006-67

    After leaving his native Acadia, Black, a railway tramp, lived at Ste-Flavie. This is where carver Jean-Julien Bourgault used him as a subject, following a request from G.-H. Dubé.
    Patricia Davis-Perkins
    CMCC IMG2008-0195-0010-Dm
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  • The artist at work - 2007-F0021.1
    The artist at work.
    Monterey Everett
    CMCC Archives
    2007-F0021.1
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  • The subject and the completed work - 2007-F0021.1
    The subject and the completed work.
    Roland Gagnon
    CMCC Archives
    2007-F0021.2
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  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.7
    Nativity scenes at Rivière-Éternité in December 2006

    Each year, at the end of November, the inhabitants of this picturesque Saguenay village create ingenious nativity scenes, which they set up in front of their homes.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC Archives
    2009-H0015.1.2.1.7
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  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.8
    Nativity scenes at Rivière-Éternité in December 2006

    Each year, at the end of November, the inhabitants of this picturesque Saguenay village create ingenious nativity scenes, which they set up in front of their homes.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC Archives
    2009-H0015.1.2.1.8
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  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.9
    Nativity scenes at Rivière-Éternité in December 2006

    Each year, at the end of November, the inhabitants of this picturesque Saguenay village create ingenious nativity scenes, which they set up in front of their homes.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC Archives
    2009-H0015.1.2.1.9
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  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.10
    Nativity scenes at Rivière-Éternité in December 2006

    Each year, at the end of November, the inhabitants of this picturesque Saguenay village create ingenious nativity scenes, which they set up in front of their homes.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC Archives
    2009-H0015.1.2.1.10
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  • Traditional Approaches - 80930
    Numerous cast-iron objects were reproduced in foundries such as this, which Marius Barbeau photographed at Baie-Saint-Paul. Sometimes original works were also created here.
    Mylène Choquette
    CMCC 80930
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  • Funerary Cross - A-121 - IMG2008-0080-0068-Dm
    Funerary Cross
    Cast in Baie-Saint-Paul, Charlevoix
    1906
    Cast iron
    CMCC A-121

    The inscription reads: À la mémoire de William Bouchard, décédé le 9 septembre 1906 à 4 mois. (In memory of William Bouchard, who died on September 9, 1906 at the age of four months.)
    Marie-Louise Deruaz
    CMCC IMG2008-0080-0068-Dm
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  • Traditional Approaches - S84-7359
    Oliva Larente created hooked rugs all her life. When asked if she made ever made sketches before starting a rug, she replied, "I've been building fences around my homes my entire life — I already know how it all looks!"
    Jean-François Blanchette, 1980.
    CMCC S84-7359
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  • Traditional Approaches - S85-893
    Nelphas Prévost enjoyed carving violins in the lumber camps where he worked. His tools were fairly basic: pocket knives, a hatchet, files and other sharp instruments. Here, he demonstrates his technique in his home village of Fasset, in 1981.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC S85-893
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  • Traditional Approaches - S85-964
    Nelphas Prévost carving out the inside of one of his violins.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC S85-964
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  • Traditional Approaches - S85-1052
    Nelphas Prévost adding a final coat of varnish to one of his violins.
    Jean-François Blanchette
    CMCC S85-1052
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  • Generation of weavers - S84-7322
  • A variety of textiles - IMG2008-0080-0138-Dm
  • The Black - 2006-67 - IMG2008-0195-0010-Dm
  • The artist at work - 2007-F0021.1
  • The subject and the completed work - 2007-F0021.1
  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.7
  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.8
  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.9
  • Nativity scenes - Archives, 2009-H0015.1.2.1.10
  • Traditional Approaches - 80930
  • Funerary Cross - A-121 - IMG2008-0080-0068-Dm
  • Traditional Approaches - S84-7359
  • Traditional Approaches - S85-893
  • Traditional Approaches - S85-964
  • Traditional Approaches - S85-1052