
Marc-Aurele Fortin, “Grande Vallee” (1952)
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Sticking (mostly) with the winter theme that I’ve been thinking about lately, Marc-Aurele Fortin is another artist in whose works winter figured prominently. Fortin was a contemporary of the Group of Seven painters and he focused on scenes of small-town Quebec, his native province, and the landscape of the surrounding St. Lawrence River Valley. Because he was so prolific a variety of styles can be seen in his work, but many of his paintings are typified by vibrantly colored houses and hillsides, dramatic skies and billowy cloudscapes.
While Fortin’s art is available through several prominent galleries, the Artnet website is one of the better resources to see a wide variety of his work in a single place.

Marc-Aurele Fortin, “St. Urbain” (ca. 1936)
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Marc-Aurele Fortin, “Ste. Rose Paysage” (1939)
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Marc-Aurele Fortin, “Les Cordes a Linge” (1939)
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Marc-Aurele Fortin, “Baie Ste. Paul Sous La Neige”
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Marc-Aurele Fortin, “Maison Rouge en Hiver” (1918)
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Marc-Aurele Fortin, “Winter Scene” (1940)
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(Image Credits: Marc-Aurele Fortin)
Similar posts on O’Canada:
〉 William Kurelek and Winter on the Prairie
I love these paintings and would hang any one of them on my walls, if I were that lucky. Thanks for the treat, Brett.
For certain, Chris!
Love his work !
Happy New Year to you and yours. I love “Grande Vallée”, it’s just wonderful composition and execution.
Yes, it’s excellent all around!
I love these! “Grande Vallee” reminds me of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem “Land of Counterpane,” “Baie Ste. Paul Sous La Neige” reminds me of William Blake’s “God Creating the Universe,” and I really like the sense of movement in “Winter Scene.” Looking forward to your next find!
Hi, Liz, great comparisons!
Thanks, Brett!
These are so pretty – thanks Brett.
They’re terrific!
Brett: I saw some works from the Group of Seven at the modern art museum in Toronto. Marc-Aurele Fortin has some early Van Gogh influences in his work as well. Not so much of the abstraction in the others in the Group of Seven.
Wonderful observation!
A more contemporary painter of Quebec scenes you might like is John Little.
Debra, thanks for mentioning him. I had not heard of him before and just looked up some of his work. It’s quite good.
Really great. Group of 7 came immediately to mind. Maybe it should be “Group of eight”?
Yes! That’s funny. I often pause to remember whether it’s 7 or 8. 🙂
Such a tonic to see.
🙂
I love them all I can feel the prairies ☺️💫 smiles Hedy
Hi, Hedy, I’ve only visited the prairies in good weather and read about its winters. Visions of fierce winds restlessly whipping snowdrifts across such terrain comes to mind when I think of what the cold season must be like there. (But my imagination often runs wild!) Stay warm and be good. 🙂
Yup my imaginings were real this past week 🤓 maybe you will see Sunday 💫❄️
I’ll look forward to that. 🙂
Thanks for sharing these wonderful images!!! Happy New Year.
Janice, thanks! Happy new year as well! 🙂
Beautiful paintings
🙂
My first thought when seeing the pictures is, “They’re soooo Canada.” You really get a feel for it.
Definitely! 🙂
There is a mood portrayed – thanks for sharing
🙂
These have a wonderful “folk-like” quality to them and the winter scenes are so typical. As a native Montrealer, I enjoy seeing art from my home province.
Thanks for posting them, Brett!
Richard, wonderful! 🙂
Thank you for introducing me to the magic of Fortin. Absolutely loved St. Urbain.
🙂
Hi Brett,
You do more to showcase the beauty of Canada and its artists than anyone else I know.
Looking forward to your continued discovery of my beautiful country in 2019!
Emanuel
Hi, Emanuel, thanks for your kind words. I’m looking forward to surprising this year as well! 🙂 All the best, Brett
Excellent
🙂
Going out of my mind with love and inspiration! I also see Cezanne in his work. Thank you so much for sharing this painter and all your great postings!
Hi, Jacqueline, his paintings are amazing and inspiring!
Thanks for introducing me to this artist! Love his work!
🙂
Seeing these brightened my morning. Thank you.
🙂