Rosaire Audet, Sculptor. Wood carver. Painter. Loretteville, Quebec. Active mid-20th century.

Rosaire Audet began carving in the late 1930’s and opened his ‘atelier’ and studio in 1939; making smaller painted carvings of Quebec people and ‘characters’ which were sold along the highways and in tourist galleries and shops in the Quebec City and Saint-Jean-Port-Joli area. He was also known for his well sculpted applied relief carvings, many with finely painted background scenes. The relief carvings would have carved and painted animals and wild birds applied on the painted background. Usually fairly small, they were often charming, attractive and captivating. Many were simple country-side scenes painted on slices of wood cut from Birch or Poplar trees. Local people in the area became involved in the studio and also made these painted and carved pieces. After he died ,suddenly, in 1947, his studio survived for some years through the work of these other self-taught artists. Audet carvings were signed by hand in script in the early years then typically signed with a stamp saying ‘Rosaire Audet’ and later simply: ‘Audet’. (Below are a few examples by him and by his studio.)

See the link below for a history of M. Audet in a publication published by the ‘Haute-Saint-Charles’ Historical Society. In the French language, Rosaire Audet’s  entry starts on page 14. *

http://www.societe-hst-hstc.ca/fs/Bulletins/csabo-V_10_No1_automne_2013.pdf

* From information provided by Charles Breton-Demeules.

Three Early ‘Slab’ Paintings. Rosaire Audet mark:

Rosaire Audet Three ‘Slab’ paintings. 1940’s.

Mark with a stamp on the reverse:

Rosaire Audet. His Mark.

Applied Relief from the Audet Studio workshop:

Rosaire Audet. Applied Relief’ Carving.

The Mark with a stamp on the reverse:

Audet Mark.

Rosaire Audet. Carved Figures:

Rosaire Audet. A group of Carved Figures. 1940’s.

Rosaire Audet Applied Relief carving of a Deer:

Rosaire Audet. Applied relief carving of a Deer.

The reverse with his mark:

Relief Carving of a Deer. Audet mark in written script.

An example of his mark in script:

Rosaire Audet. Loretteville, Quebec. Mark in written script. 1940’s.

Jean-Paul Bourque. Sculptor. Wood carver. Quebec. Active mid to late 20th century.

Jean-Paul Bourque is a naive artist. He works mainly in Basswood and he uses bright primary colors. He usually signs on the front with a date and again on the reverse.Various carvings have been found signed by him. Shown below is a carved and painted relief of a Deer in the forest. Signed on the front with a date and also signed on the reverse.**

Jean-Paul Bourque. Carved and painted relief of a deer. In Basswood:

Jean-Paul Bourque. Quebec. Relief carving of a Deer.

Jean-Paul Bourque’s mark:

Jean-Paul Bourque. His mark.

Ducklings by Jean Paul Bourque:

Ducklings by Jean Paul Bourque.

Another mark of Jean-Paul Bourque:

A mark of Jean-Paul Bourque.

**Ref: Popular Folk Art Forum-Blog (French language)http://www.antiquepromotion.com/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=27

Leon Toussaint. Sculptor. Wood carver. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Active mid 20th century.

Leon Toussaint (and his brother Alphonse) was a nephew of Andre, Medard and Jean-Julien Bourgault. Taught in the workshops of his uncles; he became a skilled and remarkable wood carver. Shown below is a rare and very fine expression of a bearded man. It is in Basswood and painted. It dates from the 1930’s. It is signed on the base: “Leon T.”  and below that is the name ‘Bourgault’; which is a reference to the Bourgault Gallery and workshop. (Shown with my thanks to a private collector in the United States.)

A Carving of a Bearded Man by Leon Toussaint:

Leon Toussaint. Carving of a Bearded Man. 1930’s.

A detail:

Leon Toussaint. Detail.

The Mark:

Leon Toussaint. Mark.

Andre Dube. Sculptor. Wood carver. Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec. Active mid 20th century.

Andre Dube was one of three brothers from the village of Saint-Roch who were known for their dramatic sculptures of Quebec wild life. Often carving lamp bases with subjects ranging from Caribou to Buffalo and fighting Bears. These lamps usually had shades made of thin strips of wood stitched together. They carved animals alone and also elaborate scenes of work on the farm with teams of Oxen ploughing the fields as an example. Andre and Clement Dube shared a workshop in Saint-Roch. Some examples of his work are shown.

 Plowing with an Ox. Signed.By Andre Dube:

Andre Dube. Carving of Ox and Plough. 1950’s.

Andre Dube mark:

Andre Dube Mark.

Andre Dube. Carving of Stump Pulling with an Ox:

André Dubé. Stump Pullers with an Ox.*

Another mark of Andre Dube:

Andre Dube Mark.

 *Ref: Stump Pullers from a private collection with thanks.

Clement Dube. Sculptor. Wood carver. Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec. Active mid 20th century.

Clement Dube was the brother of Arthur and Andre Dube. His subjects were the same as his brothers, Arthur and Andre; animals in the wild from Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. He also carved scenes of workers in the fields with teams plowing and stump pulling. He usually  signed his carvings with a chisel. Clement Dube had a studio and Gallery with his brother Andre in Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec. Shown below is a carving of a Bear by Clement Dube.*

A Bear by Clement Dube:

Clément Dubé. Carving of a Bear with a Salmon.

Examples of his marks. A stamp:

Mark of Clement Dube.

Another example. An earlier mark by chisel:

The mark of Clement Dube.

A later mark of Clement Dube:

Another mark of Clement Dube

*From a private collection. With thanks.