Irène Legendre facts for kids

Irène Legendre (born 17 November 1904 – 1992) was a talented Canadian-American painter. She is known for her unique art style, which changed over her career.

Irène Legendre's Early Life and Training

Irène Legendre was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, in November 1904. She began her art studies in 1929. She attended the École des Beaux-Arts de Québec. There, she learned from famous artists like Yvan Neilson and Lucien Martial.

Legendre finished her studies in 1932. Her early work focused on a style called Cubism. Cubism uses geometric shapes and multiple viewpoints.

Studying in New York City

From 1939 to 1943, Irène Legendre lived in New York City. She continued to study art there. She learned painting from Amédée Ozenfant. She also studied sculpture with Alexander Archipenko.

After working with these teachers, her art style changed. She moved away from Cubism. Instead, she started painting beautiful landscapes. While in New York, she showed her art in a group exhibition for the first time.

Later Career and Exhibitions

By 1946, Irène Legendre had returned to Canada. She became very active in the art world. That year, she hosted a five-part radio series. It was about modern art on Radio-Canada.

She also helped organize art shows. These shows featured her own paintings. They also included works by other important artists. Some of these artists were Paul-Émile Borduas, Stanley Cosgrove, and Goodridge Roberts. In the 1960s, Legendre shared her knowledge. She taught art at the École des Beaux-Arts de Québec.

Notable Art Shows

Irène Legendre's work has been shown in many important exhibitions. One notable show was:

• "Women Artists: Gaining Space, 1900-1965," held from May 23 to August 29, 2010, at the Musée d'art de Joliette.

Irène Legendre passed away in 1992 in Cap-Rouge, Quebec City.