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BOUCHARD, Simone Marie
- Born
- Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, 1912
- Died
- Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, 1945
- Biography synopsis
- Despite her lack of formal training, Simone Marie Bouchard (alternately spelled Simone-Mary or S. Mary) won considerable recognition throughout her tragically short career. Her artistic tendencies found their first outlet in the making of hooked rugs, which she sold to tourists. However, she soon began painting genre scenes in the folk tradition, featuring scenery from in and around the Charlevoix region. The naivety of her style was appreciated by many, and artist Alfred Pellan called her "Quebec's greatest primitive." In the 1930s, she counted Marius Barbeau, Jean-Paul Lemieux and Jori Smith among the guests to her studio. After exhibiting her paintings with the Contemporary Arts Society, she attracted the attention of Patrick Morgan of Boston and Mrs. A.F. Culver of Montreal, both of whom became avid collectors of her work. She exhibited in New York City (1938), Andover, Massachusetts (1942), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1945), and other venues, in addition to annual exhibitions in Montreal. She died of a lung ailment at the age of 32. Her work can be found in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada, and two memorial exhibitions were mounted by the Dominion Art Gallery in Montreal (1947 and 1952).
- Media used
- Painting
- Textiles
- Memberships
- Contemporary Arts Society
- File & Archive locations
- Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, QC
- National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
- Vancouver Art Gallery, BC - Library
- Musée de Charlevoix, QC
- Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery, QC
- Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
- Canadian Museum of Civilization Archives, QC
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
Writings about- "Une exposition du plus grand interet." La Presse (Montreal) 12 Jun. 1941
- Ayre, Robert. "Exhibit at Morgan's by Canadian Artists would make Fine Gifts." Standard (Montreal) 6 Dec. 1941: 27
- Baker, Victoria, et al. Scenes of Charlevoix 1784-1950. Montreal: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1982
- Bertrand, Magdeleine. Les Femmes artistes du Québec de 1875 à 1925 Montreal: Université de Montréal, 1990
- Biron, Normand. "La grande dame de Baie-Saint-Paul." Vie des arts 183 (Summer 2001): 10
- Boulizon, Guy. Le Paysage Dans La Peinture Au Quebec. Quebec: Broquet, Laprairie, 1984
- Boutilier, Alicia & Tobi Bruce. The Artist Herself : Self-portraits by Canadian Historical Women Artists / L'artiste elle-meme : autoportraits de femmes artistes au Canada Kingston, ON: Agnes Etherinton Art Centre. Hamilton: Art Gallery Hamilton, 2015
- Brunet-Weinmann, Monique. Simone Mary Bouchard et Louise Gadbois : l'art naïf dans la modernité Saint-Sauveur, Québec: M. Broquet, 2009
- Doyon, Charles. "La peinture feminine." Le Clairon (Sainte-Hyacinthe) ?
- Dubé, Richard and François Tremblay. Peindre un pays: Charlevoix et ses peintres populaires Laprairie, Quebec: Éditions Broquet Inc, 1989
- Eber, Dorothy. "What Quebec's 'Primitives' Don't Know About Art is Making Them Rich." Macleans 78.7 (3 April 1965): 17-19
- Eber, Dorothy and Gilles Hénault. "La mode est aux peintres folkloriques." Macleans 5.6 (Jun. 1965): 23-25
- Ellenwood, Ray. Egregore: A History of The Montreal Automatist Movement Toronto: Exile Editions, 1992
- Farr, Dorothy and Luckyj, Natalie. From Women's Eyes: Women Painters in Canada Kingston: Agnes Etherington Art Centre, 1975
- Gadbois, Louise. "Mary Bouchard." Liaison Montreal, Canada: Vol 2, Sept. 1948: 399-405
- Gendreau, Andrée. Charlevoix, terre d'origine, lieu de l'autre. Quebec: Université Laval, 1982
- Harper, J. Russell. A People's Art: Primitive, Naïve, Provincial and Folk Painting in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto, 1974
- Hill, C.C. and P.B. Landry, eds. National Gallery Catalogue, Canadian Art. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1988
- Kobayashi, Terry and Michael Bird. A Compendium of Canadian Folk Artists Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press, 1985
- Lamontagne, Gilles G. "Charlevoix consacre l'art populaire." La Presse (Montreal) Montreal: 1 Aug. 1990: A13
- MacDonald, Colin S. The Dictionary of Canadian Artists. (Volumes 1-8 by Colin S. MacDonald, and volume 9 by Anne Newlands and Judith Parker) Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 2009
- McKendry, Blake. Dictionary of Folk Artists in Canada: From the 17th Century to the Present Elginburg: Blake McKendry, 1988
- McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Formerly Art Association of Montreal: Spring Exhibitions, 1880-1970 Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988
- National Gallery of Canada. Catalogue of Paintings and Sculpture, Vol. 3: Canadian School Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1960
- Palardy, Jean. Peintres populaires de Charlevoix / Primitive Painters of Charlevoix. Montreal: National Film Board of Canada, 1947
- Reference Division, McPherson Library, compilers. Creative Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Creative and Performing Arts Toronto: University of Toronto Press, University of Victoria, 1971
- Robert, Guy. L'Art au Québec depuis 1940 Montreal: La Presse, 1973
- Robert, Guy. La peinture au Québec depuis ses origines. Sainte-Adèle, QC: Iconia, 1978
- Toupin, Gilles. "La Societe d'art contemporain: l'art quebecois avant les dissensions." La Presse Montreal: 30 May 1981: D1 & D20
- Westbridge, Anthony R. The Collector's Dictionary of Canadian Artists at Auction Vancouver: Westbridge Publications, 2001
Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews- Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 21, 1922) "Exhibits Drawn From Wide Area. Growing Importance of Spring Art Exhibition More Generally Recognized." Gazette (Montreal) March 21, 1922. p.5. Full-text pdf
