Ozias Leduc facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ozias Leduc
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self portrait - Ozias Leduc (1899)
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| Born | 8 October 1864 Saint-Hilaire-de-Rouville, Quebec
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| Died | 16 June 1955 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | Self-taught |
| Known for | Painter |
Ozias Leduc RCA (October 8, 1864 - June 16, 1955) was an important early painter from Quebec, Canada. He was born in Saint-Hilaire-de-Rouville. Leduc created many beautiful portraits of people and landscapes of nature.
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Life of Ozias Leduc
Ozias Leduc mostly taught himself how to paint. This means he learned by practicing and studying on his own, rather than going to a formal art school.
Early Work and Travels
Around 1880, he started working with Luigi Cappello. Luigi was an Italian painter who decorated churches. Leduc helped him with these projects. A year later, in 1881, he worked at Carli. This company in Montreal made statues. Around 1883, Leduc helped Adolphe Rho decorate another church. This one was in Yamachiche. After these experiences, Leduc began decorating churches on his own.
In 1897, Leduc took a short trip to Paris and London with another artist, Suzor-Coté. During this trip, he saw paintings by the Impressionists. Impressionism was a new style of painting that focused on light and color. This trip influenced his own art.
Life in Saint-Hilaire
Leduc lived a very quiet life in his hometown of Saint-Hilaire. People even called him "the sage of St-Hilaire." A "sage" is someone who is wise and thoughtful.
In 1938, he received an honorary doctorate from the Université de Montréal. This is a special award given to people who have achieved great things. He also became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. This is a group that honors important Canadian artists.
Ozias Leduc also taught art to others. One of his most famous students was Paul-Émile Borduas. Borduas later became a very important artist himself. Ozias Leduc passed away in Saint-Hyacinthe in 1955.
Famous Artworks
Ozias Leduc is most famous for his work decorating the Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation church. This church is in Shawinigan South, Quebec. This huge project took him thirteen years to complete! He worked on it right up until his death. His assistant, Gabrielle Messier, finished the work after he passed away.
The Notre-Dame-de-la-Présentation church is very special. In 2004, it was named a National Historic Site. This means it is an important place in Canadian history. A special marker was put up at the church in 2005 to show this status.
Honors and Recognition
Ozias Leduc's art has been recognized in many ways.
Stamps and Historic Status
On May 20, 1988, Canada Post released a special stamp. It was part of the "Masterpieces of Canadian art" series. The stamp featured Leduc's painting called "The Young Reader" (1894). This painting shows Leduc's younger brother reading a picture book.
On January 12, 2018, Leduc was named a National Historic Person. This is a high honor given to people who have made a lasting impact on Canada.
Places Named After Leduc
You can find places named after Ozias Leduc in Quebec. There are streets named after him in Shawinigan-Sud and Drummondville. There is also a park in Lévis and a high school in Mont-Saint-Hilaire.
Art Auction Records
Ozias Leduc's paintings are very valuable. At an auction in December 2023, one of his paintings sold for a very high price. The painting was called Les foins (The Hayfield), painted in 1901. It sold for $288,000.00.
