81.3 x 116.8 cm
Further images
Inscriptions
signed and dated, ‘A. Suzor-Cote. /1907’(lower left); signed and dated, ‘Suzor-Cote/ 1907’ (lower right)Provenance
W. Scott and Sons, Montreal
Collection of Sir Sandford Fleming
Galerie Walter Klinkhoff Inc., Montreal
Collection of the Late Mr. R. Fraser Elliott, Toronto
Sotheby’s/Ritchies, Toronto, 30 May 2005, lot 45
Galerie Walter Klinkhoff Inc., Montreal
Property of a Distinguished Montreal Collector
Exhibitions
Montreal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, From Macamic to Montreal, The Man and His World Exhibition, 1974.Montreal, Galerie Walter Klinkhoff Inc., Retrospective Exhibition: Marc-Aurèle Suzor-Coté, 12-24 September 1977, cat. no 1.
Montreal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal Collects: The Last Decade, 1979.
Marc-Aurèle Suzor-Coté, Monsieur est servi / Still Life/ Le Déjeuner du célibataire
by Laurier Lacroix
Suzor-Coté was known for his hedonistic spirit. His contemporaries described him as an extrovert, a bon vivant who enjoyed life and enlivened it with his talent for storytelling and singing. He loved to shine out in society and never missed an opportunity to crack a joke or make people laugh.
Suzor-Coté often depicted lavishly garnished tables at the beginning of his career. An early example of this theme can be found in his sketchbook of drawings made in Paris between 1898 and 1901 (MNBAQ). In 1901, he tackled the subject in pastel for the first time in a work entitled Le Déjeuner du célibataire (private collection). The painter revisited the theme in 1907 (MNBAQ, work destroyed in the Spencer Wood fire of 1966) and painted it again in a food-themed study entitled Le poulet rôti (private collection).
This splendid version is the finest execution of the theme. Although the chicken is the main course, Suzor-Coté added unique dimension to each of the accessories that make up the scene. The dish is surrounded by a magnificent still life of white primroses, apples and grapes on a raised fruit platter. The place setting of blue and white porcelain and fine silverware is complemented by silver containers for salt, pepper, mustard, vegetables and bread. The rich reflections bring some light to this lavish table, complete with a bottle of wine and a glass.
On the right side of the foreground, a napkin, newspaper, and letter addressed to the artist are displayed on the finely pleated white tablecloth. This work depicts a meal that the artist prepared for himself, using the richness of the table and a wide range of saturated colours to emphasize the quality of the food and service. The rich chromatic palette and smooth brushwork make this composition a visual feast. Suzor-Coté proved to be a master at rendering matter and light.
Laurier Lacroix
Laurier Lacroix C.M. is professor emeritus at Université du Québec à Montréal, where he taught art history and museology. Among his achievements are exhibitions devoted to Ozias Leduc and Suzor-Coté, as well as Painting in Montreal, 1915–1930, Les arts en Nouvelle-France, Le fonds de tableaux Desjardins, L’atelier comme création. Histoires des ateliers d’artistes au Québec and Becoming Montreal, The 1800s Painted by Duncan. He is also interested in contemporary art and has curated works by Irene F. Whittome, Marc Garneau, Pierre Dorion, Guy Pellerin, Robert Wolfe, Micheline Beauchemin and Lisette Lemieux, among others. Lacroix was the recipient of the Career Award of the Société des musées québécois and the Prix Gérard-Morisset. He is a member of the Société des Dix and the Académie des lettres du Québec.
