Albert Ferland
Albert Ferland was a Canadian poet, photographer, and draftsman who lived in the nineteenth century. Born into a merchant family, he grew up around the picturesque Lake Simon in Montreal, which profoundly influenced his artistic endeavors. Ferland received his education at the Saint-Jacob school, where he developed his drawing skills. After his family relocated to Quebec and then back to Montreal, he took on various jobs, including working as a wholesale grocer and a messenger, before pursuing a career in graphic arts at Beauchemin Printing Works.
His literary contributions included poetry published in notable periodicals such as Le Samedi and Le Monde illustré, earning him national recognition. Ferland was an active participant in Montreal's literary scene and contributed to the movement aimed at establishing French literature as the identity of Canada, separate from English influences. His poetry, characterized by a deep appreciation of nature, often reflected the beauty of his childhood surroundings in the Canadian wilderness. Ferland passed away in Montreal in 1943, leaving behind a legacy of literary and artistic contributions.
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Subject Terms
Albert Ferland
Poet
- Born: August 23, 1872
- Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Died: November 9, 1943
Biography
Albert Ferland, a nineteenth century poet, photographer, and draftsman, was born in Canada. His father, Alfred Ferland, was a merchant. His mother was Josephine Hogue Ferland. Ferland lived with his family in the scenic area around Lake Simon in Montreal, Canada. The beauty of his childhood surroundings imprinted his memory and influenced his later poetic writings.
Ferland received his schooling at the Saint-Jacob school in Montreal, where he studied drawing. In 1882, his family moved to Quebec before returning to Montreal in 1886. Ferland worked several jobs; he was a wholesale grocer, an errand boy for law firms, and a messenger for Beauchemin Printing Works. While at Beauchemin, Ferland initiated his career as a graphic artist. He contributed poems to Le Samedi and to Le Monde illustré, and he gained national recognition for this work.
Ferland was a member of the Montreal’s literary school and of the royal company of Canada. He was a major figure in the mid-nineteenth century school of poets and novelists who strived to break away from English literature and establish French literature as the national literature of Canada. Ferland published several original poems. His poetry exemplified his love and acute observations of nature. Most of his writing described what he saw in his childhood where he was immersed in the aesthetical beauty of the Canadian wilderness. Ferland died in Montreal in 1943.