Leandre Dube. Woodcarver. Sculptor. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Active mid 20th century.

Leandre Dube made figural carvings in the flat-plane tradition of St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. His carvings were of people in the traditional costume and scenes of Quebec. He always painted his work and signed on top of the base of the carving in the Bourgault style – in ink or chisel. His carvings are of a smaller size and are rarely found. They date from the 1930’s – early 1940’s.*

A pair of seated Quebec figures by Leandre Dube:

Leandre Dube. St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. 1930s-40s .

A side view:

Leandre Dube. St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. 1930s-40s.

The mark in script of Leandre Dube:

Leandre Dube. St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. 1930s-40s The mark .

Another example of the mark of Leandre Dube:

Leandre Dube. The mark.

*Leandre Dube was one of several Quebec flat-plane woodcarvers whose carving careers seemed to have stopped sometime in the 1940’s or in a few cases the very early 1950’s. (The second world war may have been a factor for some.)

Eugene Sioui. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Ancienne-Lorette, (Village Huron) Quebec. Active mid 20th century.

Eugene Sioui made flat-plane carvings of people, always painted. He carved people in traditional Quebec dress and also carvings of indigenous people. He usually signed his work in script on the bottom of the base and he signed most often “E. Sioui. His carvings were often very elegant and well painted. Eugene Sioui’s carvings were sold in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli as well as souvenir shops and galleries throughout Quebec in the 1930’s and ’40’s. Eugene Sioui was an aboriginal Canadian. His tribal affiliation was Huron and he often put that on his mark (see below).

Two carvings by Eugene Sioui:

Eugene Sioui. Quebec City. Pair of figural Quebec flat-plane carvings. 1950’s.

The marks of Eugene Sioui:

Eugene Sioui. His mark in script.

With a stamp and the Huron mark:

Eugene Sioui.Quebec City. Pair of figural Quebec flat-plane carvings. 1950’s. His mark.

Another mark in script:

Eugene Sioui. Mark in script.

L. Purdy. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Waterloo, Quebec. Active mid-20th century.

L. Purdy was known for his carvings of people. He was a primitive artist who carved in the flat-plane tradition. He sometimes painted his works in the manner of C.J. Trygg but more often simply varnished them. He usually signed his work; in script or with a chisel.

Carl-Olaf Trygg. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Montreal, Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. Active mid 20th century in Quebec.

Carl-Olaf Trygg was the son of C.-J. Trygg. He came to Canada with his family in the late 1920’s and learned the art of woodcarving from his father. He returned to Sweden with his father and brother Nils in the late 1940’s where he continued to carve. He signed ‘C-O Trygg’ and his mark is occasionally confused with his father’s ‘C-J’.

A carving of a tramp by Olaf Trygg:

Carl-Olaf Trygg. Hobo. 1940’s.

The mark of Carl-Olaf Trygg on the base:

Carl-Olaf Trygg. Hobo. 1940’s. The Mark.

Ellen Trygg. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Montreal, Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. Active mid-20th century.

Ellen Trygg was a relative of Carl-Johan Trygg who came to Canada around the same time as his family did. She made flat-plane carvings in the same manner as the other members of the Trygg family and painted them in bright vibrant colours. Signed examples of her work are very rare.

A signed example of her work:

Ellen Trygg. Carving of an Inuit Hunter.

A detail:

Ellen Trygg. Carving of an Inuit Hunter. Detail.

Ellen Trygg. Her mark. (In ballpoint pen.):

Ellen Trygg. Carving of an Inuit Hunter. Her mark.

Another example of her mark. (This in pencil.):

Ellen Trygg. Her mark.