André Jasmin
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Montreal, André Jasmin is a painter, printmaker and draughtsman. He received his bachelor from the University of Montreal and then studied two years at l’Ecole du Meuble under Borduas, Pellan, Maurice Gagnon (art history) and Parizeau (architecture).
He was associated with the Sagittaire group in Montreal in 1943.
He became active in the field of costume and set designing and did costumes and set designs for “Les Compagnons” of Montreal who presented Les fourberies de Scapin in New York City in 1945. He also designed costumes and sets for two Canadian ballets: La Gaspésienne and Papotages for the Ruth Sorel Company.
He is respected not only as a serious painter but as a teacher. He was Professor of Art History at the Ecole des beaux-arts of Montreal in 1959-69 and at Uqam from 1969 to 1987. He gave a series of galleries talks at the National Gallery of Canada on Cézanne, Tintoretto, Rembrandt, Chagall, Bonnard, Pellan, Borduas, and Riopelle.
SUBJECT
His work has been influenced by Braque, also Rouault but of much of his work is non-figurative.
TECHNIQUE/MEDIUM
He practiced ink drawings, charcoals, and water colours.
EXHIBITION
In his painting, he held his first one man show in Montreal in 1947. Other one man show followed from 1948 to 1956 while he also participated in group shows in Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Ottawa at the National Gallery. His 1956 solo show was given at the Collector’s Gallery, New York City, and the foreword for the exhibition catalogue was written by Jean René Ostiguy, of the National Gallery of Canada. He exhibited at Centre d’Art du Mont-Royal his non-figurative paintings in 1965.
Source: Catalogue of the National Gallery of Canada, Canadian art, volume two/G-K, Ottawa, 1994 ; Colin S. Macdonald, A dictionary of Canadian Artists, Volume 3, 1975
