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Clarence Alphonse Gagnon (1881–1942) was a renowned Canadian artist best known for his vibrant landscape paintings of rural Quebec, particularly the Laurentians and Charlevoix regions. A gifted painter, engraver, illustrator, and member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA), Gagnon’s legacy continues to shape the story of Canadian art in the 20th century.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, on November 8, 1881, Clarence Gagnon spent his early years in Sainte-Rose, a village north of the city. Encouraged by his English mother to pursue the arts, Gagnon studied under William Brymner at the Art Association of Montreal beginning in 1897. Brymner, a key figure in Canadian Impressionism, recognized Gagnon’s potential and urged him to study abroad.

With financial support from patron James Morgan, Gagnon enrolled at the Académie Julian in Paris in 1904. There, under the guidance of Jean-Paul Laurens, he developed a lightened color palette and refined his impressionistic style, painting plein air across France in areas like Saint-Malo, Dinan, and Dinard. His early works were influenced by Eugène Boudin and James Wilson Morrice.

In 1904, Clarence Gagnon received a bronze medal at the Canadian section of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, marking the beginning of international recognition. Before returning to Canada in 1907, he traveled throughout Spain, Italy, England, and Norway, creating sketches that reflected his growing expertise in both painting and etching.

Returning to Canada in 1907, Gagnon settled in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec—a picturesque village that would become central to his career. In 1913, he made history with a groundbreaking solo exhibition in Paris at Galerie A. M. Reitlinger: Clarence A. Gagnon: Paysage d’hiver dans les montagnes des Laurentides au Canada. It was the first solo exhibition by a living Canadian artist in the French capital.

From 1917 to 1919, Gagnon lived in France, then returned to Quebec. Between 1919 and 1924, he produced some of his most iconic winter scenes, aided by the new railway connecting Montreal, Quebec City, and Baie-Saint-Paul. Fellow artists including A.Y. Jackson, Albert H. Robinson, and Edwin Holgate joined him on sketching trips through the Charlevoix region.

In addition to his painting, Gagnon became a respected illustrator. He contributed to notable literary works such as Louis-Frédéric Rouquette’s Le Grand silence blanc (1929) and the acclaimed 1933 edition of Maria Chapdelaine by Louis Hémon, one of the most important illustrated books in Canadian publishing history.

He returned permanently to Montreal in 1936, where he continued to paint until his death on January 5, 1942. Gagnon passed away at the Royal Victoria Hospital and was laid to rest at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery.

Clarence Gagnon’s work captures the heart of rural French Canada and the beauty of its seasons, particularly the Canadian winter. His contribution to Canadian Impressionism, and his unique depictions of Québécois life, have made him a cornerstone of Canadian art history. Today, his works are held in major collections across Canada and internationally, and his name remains synonymous with excellence in early 20th-century Canadian landscape painting.