Alfred Pellan (16 May 1906 - 31 October 1988) is an important figure in twentieth-century Québec painting. He was born in Québec City in 1906. From the age of fourteen until his graduation in 1926 he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Québec. The same year, he became the first recipient of a fine-arts scholarship from the Québec government, which allowed him to study at the École supérieure nationale des beaux-arts de Paris. He stayed in Paris until 1940, completing his artistic education, then moved to Montréal.

From 1943 to 1952, Pellan taught at the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. His classes took the form of free workshops. His promotion of free thinking and expression in his teaching put him at odds with Charles Maillard, the much more conservative director of the school. This resulted in Pellan's temporary resignation in 1945. From 1952 to 1955, he went back to Paris on a bursary from the Royal Society of Canada. There, he became the first Quebecer (and Canadian) to hold a solo exhibition at the Musée national d'art moderne.

Pellan's production is very large and varied. His early canvasses, from his first stay in Paris, show a marked fauvist influence. From the 1940s on, his works become closer to cubism and surrealism, then branch out into their own distinctive style. Though primarily a painter, Pellan used many different materials, including hooked rug and glass. He also did costume and set designs for the theater.

Pellan received a great number of prizes and distinctions, including four honorary doctorates. In 1967, he was made Companion of the Order of Canada. He was awarded the Paul-Émile Borduas prize in 1984 and made an officer of the Ordre National du Québec in 1985. Over the years, he participated in over one hundred collective exhibitions abroad, strengthening his international reputation. Alfred Pellan died in Laval, Québec in 1988.

External links

Images and galleries

• Gallery (http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artist_work_e.jsp?iartistid=4249) from the Canadian government's Cybermuse (http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/) project.
• Gallery (http://www.guildegraphique.com/PELLANfr.htm) from the Guilde Graphique Gallery (http://www.guildegraphique.com/).
• The Pellan Murals (http://www.collectionscanada.ca/5/7/a7-4200-e.html), at the Canadian National Library, with commentary.
• Hooked rug: Le Canada (http://www.gg.ca/governor_general/Citadelle-pho08_e.asp), along with a very short biography and commentary, from the Governor General of Canada website.

Information

• Biography (http://www.mce.gouv.qc.ca/g/html/onq/86/86_20.htm) (in French) from the Ordre national du Québec.
• Biography (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0006192) from thecanadianencyclopedia.com (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/).
• Biography (http://www.prixduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/recherche/desclaureat.asp?noLaureat=184) (in French) from Les Prix du Québec (http://www.prixduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/gpq-autres/english.html) on his being awarded the Paul-Émile Borduas prize.
• Biography and information (http://www.gala.netc.net/Pellan/artiste-a.html) from the Gala art gallery (http://www.gala.netc.net/).
• Short biography (http://www.mnba.qc.ca/english/collection/moderne01.htm) from the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec.
• Short biography (http://www.ballardlederergallery.com/dynamic/artists/Alfred_Pellan.asp) from the Elliott Louis Gallery (http://www.elliottlouis.com/).
• Short biography (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/ogallery/webenglish/arboretum/alfred.pellan.html) from the governmental Canada's digital collections (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/) website.
• Short biography (http://bilan.usherbrooke.ca/bilan/pages/biographies/269.html) (in French) from the Université de Sherbrooke website.
• Very short biography (http://www.cam.org/~artotek/arto-f/pellan.html) (in French) and other information from the Artothèque de Montréal (http://www.cam.org/~artotek/).
• Very short biography (http://www.guildegraphique.com/PELLANfb.htm) (in French) and other information from the Guilde Graphique Gallery (http://www.guildegraphique.com/).
• Very short biography (http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/P/Pellan-A.html) from the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (mirror here (http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/P/Pellan-A1.asp)).
• Very short biography (http://sbem.org/agenda/encan2003/pellan.htm) (in French) from the Service bénévole de l'Est de Montréal (http://sbem.org/sbe.htm).

Criticism and interpretation

• On a Portrait by Alfred Pellan (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/bulletin/num12/ostiguy1.html) (in French), by Jean-René Ostiguy. Also available: a summary (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/bulletin/num12/ostiguy_res.html) in English.