Napoléon Bourassa
Napoléon Bourassa was a multifaceted figure in Canadian arts, recognized primarily for his contributions as an author, painter, sculptor, and architect. He is best known for his literary work, "Jacques et Marie: Souvenir d'un peuple dispersé," published in 1866, which narrates the poignant story of two lovers separated during the Acadian deportation of 1755, marking an early example of French Canadian historical fiction. Bourassa's artistic journey began with eleven years of study at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal, followed by private art lessons and advanced training in Italy and France.
Upon returning to Canada, he became a prominent teacher and was instrumental in shaping art education in the country, earning respect that led to his involvement in developing a national art education system. He also gained recognition for his architectural work, particularly in church design and decoration, including the notable Chapel of Nôtre Dame de Lourdes in Montreal. Bourassa's influence extended beyond his own creations; he was a founding member of the National Gallery of Canada and mentored many students, such as sculptor Louis-Philippe Hébert, who went on to make significant contributions to the Canadian arts scene. His legacy encompasses a blend of literature, visual arts, and education, establishing him as a pivotal figure in early Canadian cultural history.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Napoléon Bourassa
Fiction and Nonfiction Writer
- Born: October 21, 1827
- Birthplace: L'Acadie, Quebec, Canada
- Died: July 27, 1916
- Place of death: Lachenaie, Quebec, Canada
Biography
Napoléon Bourassa is known to the world of literature as the author of Jacques et Marie: Souvenir d’un peuple dispersé (1866), a tale of two young lovers separated in the Acadian deportation of 1755. The book is regarded as an early, if ordinary, example of French Canadian historical fiction. However, Napoléon Bourassa was an early practitioner and teacher of several arts in Quebec, and distinguished himself as a painter, sculptor, and architect, in addition to being an author of a popular account of an epic tale of national identity.
Napoléon Bourassa studied for eleven years at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal, where he developed his skills as a writer. He followed this schooling with private art lessons in Quebec and then a three-year sequence of art training in Italy and France. Upon his return to Canada, Bourassa put his various skills to combined use, writing articles that attempted to outline the potential role of the arts in his fledgling home nation. Given that art in Canada was in a nascent state, he first earned his living as a painter of portraits, a form he disliked, and a teacher of young artists, which he enjoyed considerably more. He was held in such regard as a teacher that the Canadian government selected him to devise a system of art education for the nation based on his observation of European models.
Bourassa married Azelie Papenaiu, a daughter of a prominent family, and together they had five children. Azelie died in 1869, however, before Bourassa had established himself in the work that would be his greatest legacy, the design and decoration of churches. In some instances he designed the buildings, and in others he devised murals for their walls; in many cases, he did both. In the case of the Chapel of Nôtre Dame de Lourdes in Montreal (1872-1880), Bourassa was the architect of the building and the designer of more than thirty murals, which were executed in turn by students under his supervision. Bourassa designed numerous other churches as well, including the massive Church of Sainte Anne in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Napoléon Bourassa’s legacies in architecture, painting, sculpture, and literature combined to make him a towering figure in the early history of Canadian arts. His role as a teacher and promoter was similarly profound. He was one of the twenty-five founding members of the National Gallery of Canada. Several of his students, including the sculptor Louis-Phillipe Hébert, went on to make their own substantial contributions to the arts in Quebec.