Joseph Saint-Charles

Joseph Saint-Charles

Joseph Saint-Charles, painter (b at Montréal 9 June 1868; d there 26 Oct 1956). After studying under Abbé Chabert in Montréal he left for Paris, enrolling in the École des beaux-arts in 1885. He also studied under Benjamin Constant, Jules Lefebvre and Jean-Paul Laurens, and spent some time at Rome's École des beaux-arts. He returned to Canada to devote himself to teaching and to art, and around 1890 he executed 3 large canvases for the Sacré Coeur chapel of Notre-Dame in Montréal.

In 1906 he painted La Présentation de la Vièrge au Temple for the chapel of the Grand Séminaire de Montréal. His career as a teacher of design began with the Conseil des arts et manufactures, continued at Université de Montréal and then at Montréal's École des beaux-arts. From 1942 Saint-Charles was the most famous portraitist of his day. Through his studio passed the leading politicians, businessmen and indeed the most beautiful women of contemporary Québec society.