Rousseau, Albert

Technique : Oil, acrylic, watercolour, engraving, ink

Albert Rousseau is a Québécois painter of international acclaim who has exhibited his works in Canada, the United States and Europe. At the age of 16 he was enrolled at l'École des beaux-arts in Quebec. He studied there for six years, and received numerous awards and medals. When he graduated, his goal was to devote his energy to painting his country and its beauty. He travelled to several regions of Quebec to paint with artists such as Marc-Aurèle Fortin and René Richard, with whom he developed a lasting friendship. In 1939, he attended his first Salon du Printemps of the Galerie des arts in Montréal which he would continue to attend, and in 1948, he won first prize, the same year as Pellan.

Albert Rousseau built his studio in Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon with his own hands, and he used the space to organize various events to promote both established artists, and new up-and-comers. Throughout his career, he sought to perfect his art, experiment with varying textures, materials and techniques. He produced watercolour and terracotta paintings of landscapes, still life's, nudes and ocean scenes with inexhaustible energy. His ability to portray light was what brought him recognition from critics and the general public. In 1960, he won the first prize of the National Gallery of Canada's "Winter Scenes" competition with his painting "Maison Chevalier”.

Year after year, the exhibition at his studio in Saint -Étienne-de-Lauzon, "Expos champêtres”, became increasingly popular and many thousands of people visited every summer. In 1970, at the seventh "Expos champêtres", the works of 75 artists were presented.

Albert Rousseau painted bright scenes of vibrant colour, until his sudden death in 1982 at the age of 73. His last painting was a colourful cycle of life, and shows a pregnant woman protected by a mysterious figure and a young mother holding a baby in her arms.

Several of his works are now in the collections of several museums including the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec, the National Assembly of Quebec and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, as well as many art galleries and public and private collections. During his lifetime, he participated in numerous exhibitions in Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi, Montreal, Calgary, New York and Paris.