Ernest Saint-Hilaire. Sculptor. Sainte-Justine de Dorchester, Quebec. Active mid-20th century.
Ernest St. HIlaire made carved and painted naive sculptures of horse drawn vehicles and carriages of all kinds as well as farmers, shepherds and people at play. His animals were naive, well-carved and his horses were prancing. They were made usually with real horse hair tails and manes. All his carvings of people are wearing hats with a leather or leatherette brim that slides down over the carved and painted hat.
He made carvings of horse drawn Buggies and wagons (always with one or two passengers) as well as carvings of plowing teams of horses or oxen. His work was sometimes signed on the base. His unsigned carvings are easy to identify as his work was distinctive -his hats and pipe and blonde female passengers seem to be trade marks as well as the hat brims mentioned above. Mr. Saint-Hilaire also occasionally used a shaped piece of wire attached to the side of the base of a carving to hang his assemblies directly on the wall. There is one visible on the carving of a Cutter below. It has been turned down to show the carving.
(It has been noted that his carvings were painted by his wife.)
Shown is an example of one of his cutters (Signed on the base.):
Ernest St. Hilaire. Sainte-Justine, Quebec. Carving of a sleigh and passengers. 1960’s.
His Mark:
Ernest St. Hilaire. Sainte-Justine, Quebec. Mark on the base of The Cutter.
A Rider on Horseback:
Ernest St. Hilaire. Man on Horseback.
Plowing With Oxen:
Ernest St. Hilaire. Plowing with Oxen.
A carving of a shepherd with his flock:
Ernest Saint-Hilaire. Carving of a Shepherd and Sheep. Ste.-Justin, Quebec.
A detail showing the Sheep. (The sheep may not be by the artist.):
Ernest Saint-Hilaire. Detail.
Ref: Mark Zannis
Ref:From a Web site and Forum in Quebec:http://www.antiquepromotion.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1380#.VY6vAI7F8Sp
(Mr St. HIlaire has also carved men and women on horseback. He was active between 1960 and 1975.)
