Rest below © 1975 © 2005 G. A. Lessard 6402135 Canada Inc.

On the 12th of January, 1850, in the forest of Ste. Sophie d'Halifax, a son is born to Theophile Hébert and Julie Bourgeois. Louis-Philippe is their third child of an Acadien family which will have 13. At the begining of February, his godfather and godmother put their mark in the parish register, not knowing how to write.

The Héberts live in a small one room, settlers log cabin, heated only by a wood stove.

In the rural setting of his childhood, Hébert is fascinated by folkloric tales of the native Indians and the early French settlers. These fireside narratives made a deep and significant impression on his youthful and impressionable mind.

In 1865 his uncle Noel Hébert runs for a seat in the Provincial Assembly and is elected for the county of Megantic, but Theophile, Philippes father, has bankrolled the campaign and is almost bankrupted by Noel's un-successful re-election campaign of 1863.

By 1865, life has changed drastically for the Hébert family, at the age of 15, with the family on the verge of loosing the farm, father and son have to work as lumberjacks feeding the engines of the Grand Trunk Railway the summer of until 1869, debts paid, they return home.

At the age of 19, Hébert is struck by what amounts to an identity crisis and ends up realizing that a rural farm life is not for him and that he is destined to be more than a farmer.

A newspaper article catches his eye. Garibaldie is threatening the Papal States. Volunteers are being called for. Hébert insists on going and at 3:00 AM on the 28th of September, 1969, he leaves his childhood behind and sets off for Rome on an adventure of self-discovery.

He is received in Rome on the 19th of October by Monseigneur Bourget, Bishop of Montréal, who impresses him greatly.

In December, after training in Tivoli, Hébert is billeted at Chateau St.-Ange and by July he is promoted to Colonel.

His correspondence during this period reveals a developing infatuation with the artistic splendours of Rome, and it is now that "Le Gosseux" begins to realize his destiny.

The war ends with Victor Emmanuel's unification of Italy, and all the "Zouaves" are sent home.

Once back in Quebec, the inspired Louis-Philippe, contrary to his father's advice, spends the next three years seeking out the artistic opportunities of the country.

His opportunity comes in 1893 after winning a contest for which the eminent architect, Napoleon Bourassa is the judge. Bourassa asks Hébert to join his entourage as an apprentice.

Hébert's apprenticeship with Bourassa lasts for seven years, from 1872 to 1879, during which time he completes the "Virgin and Bernadette" and the "Immaculate Conception" for the chapel of Notre Dame de Lourdes at the corner of Berri and St Catherine Streets.

Notre Dame de Lourdes marks the begining of his religious period which includes larger commissions such as Notre Dame d'Ottawa and Notre Dame de Montréal. The word of Hébert's artistry spreads to the rural parishes and receives many requests for religious statues. During this time, all his work has been in the medium of the time, wood.

1881 marks a major shift for Hébert in both medium and subject matter. He is commissioned to sculpt Michelle de Salaberry, the historic victor of the 1813, Battle of Chateauguay. He achieves two important firsts with this commission. He is the first Canadian to commemorate a Canadian historic figure; the first Canadian to work with bronze.

The next few years are spend in methodical pursuit of work. In 1887 the Government of Quebec commissions him to produce ten statues for the Parliament (now the National Assembly) building in Quebec City. The commission called for a payment of $10,000 for the creation of the statues and a further subsidy for him to study in France. This marks the time that a Canadian artist is accorded the honour of receiving such a grant to study abroad.

It is during this time in France that he meets and becomes friends with the creator of the Statue of Liberty, Frederic Bartholdi.

The ten statues at the National Assembly are known as: LA GROUPE DES ABENAQUIS [LA HALTE DANS LA FORET], LE PECHEURE A LA NIGOGUE, FRONTENAC LORD ELGIN, MICHEL DE SALABERRY (a second version of Salaberry), MONTCALM, WOLFE, LEVIS, and two pairs of figures on the roof at the front of the Assembly - RELIGION ET PATRIE and POESIE ET HISTOIRE.

Hébert spent the rest of his life quietly getting on with the business of commemorating famous Canadian personages of his past and present.

He dies on June 13th, 1917 of throat cancer and is survived by his wife and four children. Of Louis-Philippe, Omer Heroux is moved to write: "He helped fix in the public mind, helped maintain the memory of a few of our best people. He was, in his way, a great historian. His life is an excellent example of energy and stubborn energy. Just think of the effort needed for a farmer from St.-Sophie d'Halifax to attain such artistic skill, that all know it.

(Le Devoir, June 14th, 1917)

LOUIS-PHILIPPE HEBERT BORN 1850 - DIED 1917

MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS (1880)

MEDAL OF CONFEDERATION (OTTAWA 1894)

CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR (PARIS 1901)

CHEVALIER DE ST. MICHEL ET DE ST. GEORGES (LONDON 1903)

CHEVALIER DE ST. GREGOIRE LE GRAND (ROME 1903)

BRONZE MEDAL - PARIS - 1889

SILVER MEDAL - PARIS - 1900

Louis-Philippe Hébert

SCULPTOR

+ The People He Met +

(c)1975 & 2004 (Pictures and Text) G.A. Lessard

+ - I N D I C A T E S S L I D E S A V A I L A B L E
(soon to be available here)

C o m e m o r a t i v e M o n u m e n t s

1881 + Michel de Salaberry, full figure standing bronze, Chambley

1885 + Georges-Etienne Cartier, standing figure bronze, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

1885 Laviolette Monument (of stucco), Three Rivers, demolished in 1919

1885 + Monseigneur J. David Deziel, standing bronze, Levis

1888 + The Grand Vicar Edouard Crevier, standing stone, Marieville

The Statues of the National Assembly (Quebec)

1890 + Frontenac, bronze

1890 + The Abenaquis Group (The Halt in the Forest) three figures bronze

1890 + Lord Elgin, bronze

1890 + Religion & Country, Poetry & History;

symbolic figures seated on the corniche of the roof.

1894 + Michel de Salaberry, bronze

1894 + Montcalm, bronze

1894 + Wolfe, bronze

1894 + The Nigogue Fisherman (The Abenaquis Fountain), bronze

1896 + Levis, bronze

Other Monuments

1891 The Short And Wallick Monument, Grande Allee, Quebec

1895 + The Maisonneuve Monument, one central figure,
four figures one at each corner of base,
four base-reliefs, four water spout gods,
bronze on granite water fountain pedestal,
Place d'Armes, Montreal.

1895 + Sir John A. MacDonald, bronze, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

1896 Father Andr_ M. Garin, O.M.I., Lowell Mass. U.S.A.

1899 + Alexander Mackenzie monument, bronze,
Parliament Hill, Ottawa,
in collaboration with Hamilton McCarthy.

1900 + Victoria monument, bronze figure with lions,
Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

1903 + Ignace Bouget monument,
several figures and two bas-reliefs, bronze,
in front of Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, Montreal.

1904 + Honorable Joseph Howe, bronze with two reliefs,
Halifax, Nova Scotia

1906 + Octave Cremazie monument,
bust, reclining figure and a bas-relief bronze,
originally in Carre St-Louis (Montreal),
now at the corners of
blvd. St-Laurent & the Metropolitan Blvd., Montreal

1907 Victoria monument, bronze, Hamilton, Ontario

1908 + Monseigneur de Laval, bronze,
Cote-de-la-Montange, (Quebec) Quebec

1908 South African War Memorial, an equestrian bronze,
Calgary, Alberta

1908 + The Vieu funeral monument, in collaboration with Henri Hebert.

1909 + Jeanne Mance, bronze, Hotel-Dieu, Montreal, Quebec.

1909 + Abbe Pierre-Marie Migneault, standing full figure, stone,
Chambley, Quebec

1909 Simon Frazer, bust, New Westminster, British Columbia

1910 + Leonard Tilley, standing figure and
bas reliefs on stone base, bronze,
St. John, New Brunswick.

1911 + John Young standing figure with Neptune & trident on stone base, bronze, Place Royal, Montreal.

1913 + Madelaine de Vercheres, larger than life bronze on large stone
base, Vercheres, Quebec.

1915 + Edward the 7th., "Le roi pacificateur", a winged angle breaking
chains of bondage (S.side), four figures representing the harvest and
family - a man seated - a woman with fruit - a woman harvesting wheat -
a child with a book (W.side), draped, seated female holding olive
branch aloft with sheathed sword & shield at side (N.side), four draped
females seated - one with lance. Bronzes on a large stone base. Philips
Square, Montreal.

www.flickr.com The MediaMentor's Edward VII photoset

1916 La V_rendrye, Three Rivers, Quebec

???? + Hebert family headstone,Cote-des-Neiges Cemetery, Montreal,
bronze & stone, in collaboration with his son Henri.

1921 + Evangeline, Grand-Pre, Nova Scotia
(posthumously completed by Henri Hebert)

Religious Works

+ The Chapel of Notre-Dame de Lourdes (Montreal) (1873-1879)

The Virgin and Bernadette;
the Immaculee Conception at the top of thefacade;
reliefs around the sanctuary;
the angel's heads decorating the arcades + other decorative motifs
Note:
These early works were executed under the direction of Napoleon Bourassa.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame d'Ottawa (1879-1897)

Christ glorious, the Blessed Virgin;

Saint Joseph;

Saint John the Baptist & Saint Patrick Saint Michel and the guardian angel;

nine angels representing the nine angelic courses;

a groupe of small angels;

on each side of the sanctuary, the patriarchs, the judges, the
(profets) and the apostles Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Jonah,
Moses, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, (Ezechial), Zacharia,

Malachi, (Aggee), Simon, Mathias, Philip, Thaddeus, Thomas, John,
Andrew, John, Mark, Luke, Matthew, Peter & Paul. An angel & the coats
of arms decorating the pontifical throne.

The relief of the Holy Sprit decorating the (credce);the reliefs of the sanctuaries.

+ Notre-Dame Church (Montreal) (1883-1887)

Isaiah, Jeremiah, (Ezechial), Daniel, St. Augustin, St. Leon the Great,
St. Jean-Chrysostome, St Basil, Religion as a young man, a Sacred
Heart, eight angels, two angels in bas-relief, two other angels in
relief, a tabernacle door, nine small statues for a piece of furniture
in the sacristy, a (catafalque). A crucifix, painted and decorated.

Other Religious Work

St. (Magel), St. Martha, and St. (Lazerous) for Cap-de-la-Madeleine (1880).

+ A figure of St. Ann in her (toumbe) for the alter of St. (Weneeslas) de Nicolet. (1881)

Statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus & one of the Sacred Heart of Mario for the cathedral of Three Rivers (1882)

Bas reliefs for the (maitre-autel) of the chapel of the College of Joliette. (1884)

A statue of St. Ann delivered to the Abbe Peladeau (1883)

An Archangel Michel, a John the Evangelist, and a St. Ann with the Virgin in her arms,
commissioned by by the Reverend M.Maille (1883).

A St. Agnes, three feet high, polychromed wood,
for the church of St. Jacques de Montreal. (1885)

Statues of St. Anthony, St. Peter & St. Paul for the church of Longueuil. (1886)

A St. Joseph in wood, painted with gold leaf
for the College of St. Therese. (1887)

A statue in silver plate of St.Germain
for Rimouski (1887)

A statue of St. Jacques
commissioned by the Vicar General, Azarie Lavigne along with two angels. (1887)

A St. Michel terrifying the dragon and an angel
kept at the museum of Notre-Dame de Montreal (date uncertain).

Statuettes of the 12 apostles in polychromed wood
in the collection of the Musee du Quebec (early works-dates uncertain).

(Autel) of wood delivered to M.L.A. Georges Jacques M.D.(1888)

A St. (Philomena) and four cartouche
at the sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus & Mary in Outremont. (1895)

A tabernacle of wood,
11 ft. high and a dozen angels of wood painted white & decorated with gold commissioned by Madame Philomene Valois- Lussier, probably for the cathedral of Montreal. (1906)

An Angel of Glory for the Valois monument
at the Cote-des-Neiges Cemetery. Montreal

Christ on the cross
for the baptismal font, Cathedral of Montreal. (1907)

Crucifix (Family Collection);
Christ on the cross for the Beaubien monument at the Cote-de-Neiges Cemetery,
in collaboration with his son Henri. (1916)

Minor Early Works

1870 + " A highwayman stopping a voyager", a medallion of olive wood, completed in Rome

1872 A soldier on horse, bas relief, wood stained walnut.

1873 + Beranger, small bust, wood, Bourassa Prize.

???? Small statue of Napoleon, polychromed wood.

???? Portrait of the Abbe Moreau, Zouave armorer.BR>

1875 Relief decorating the front of the Hotel des Postes, in collaboration with Napoleon Bourassa, MontrealBR>

M i n i a t u r e G r o u p s

Les Abenaquis;

Les Acadiens;

La Cascade;

L'Evasion;

L'Inspiration (self portrait);

Madelaine;

Sans Merci (monument);

Convoitise;

La Defense du foyer;

Dollard des Ormeaux, in the Concordia University Collection;

Sans Merci (miniature copy);

Maitre Renard;

Une Mere;

Le Rapt;

T h e S t a t u e t t e s a n d B r o n z e s

Graham Bell;

Cadeaux;

La Cascade;

L'Evasion;

L'Inspiration (self-portrait);

Sir George Etienne Cartier;

Ceinture doree;

Champlain;

An Iroquois Chief;

Chenier;

A la Clarie Fontain;

Coureur des Bois;

L'abbe Edouard Crevier;

Monseigneur David Deziel;

Evangeline;

La Fee Nicotine;

Fleur des Bois;

Floral;

Frontenac;

Le Gosseux;

Philippe Hebert a l'escabeau;

Le Pere Lacombe;

Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine;

Sir Wilfred Laurier;

Sir Hector Langevin;

Le Pere .C. Lefebvre;

Le Moyne de Ste. Helene;

Sir John A. MacDonald;

Madeleine de Vercheres;

Honorable Honore Mercier;

Martine Messier;

Honorable A.N. Morin;

Honorable Louis Joseph Papineau;

Le Pecheur a la Nigogue;

Soupier de lac;

Monseigneur Alerandre Tache;

Sir E. Pascal Tache;

Sir Charles Tupper;

La Vision du Sagamo;

Le Zouave.

T h e B u s t s

Honore Beaugrand;

Monsingeur Paul Bruchesi;

Sir Adolphe Caron;

Sir George Etienne Catrier;

Le General de Charette;

Guillaume Couture;

ir George Drummond;

Faucher de Saint Maurice;

Honorable Forget;

J.M. Fortier;

Louis Frechette;

Madame Louis Frechette;

Ernest Gagnon;

Gustave Gagon;

Sir Hector Langevin;

Honorable Honore Mervier;

Honorable G.A. Nantel;

Nonon;

Honorable Judge Pagnuelo;

Lt. Governeur Robitaille;

Honorable Judge Rodier;

Doctor & Madame Carles Godin, Paris;

Monsingeur Grondin;

Blanche Hebert as a child;

Heni & Adrien Hebert as children;

Lucien Hebert as a child;

Pauline Hebert as a child;

Philippe Hebert around 30 years old;

two busts of the artist's wife;

Yvonne as a child;

Jacquot, a Paris sculptor;

Honorable Hormiadas Laport;

Dr. E.P. Lachapelle;

F.X. Saint Charles;

Adelard Senechal;

Sir Thomas Shaughnessy;

L'abbe Tanguay;

Honorable Israel Tarte;

Sir John Thompson.

T h e M e d a l l i o n s a n d t h e M e d a l s

Julie Bourgeois, the artist's Mother;

Honorable Pierre Chauveau;

Honorable Faucher de St Maurice;

Louis Frechette;

Madame Charles Godin, Paris;

Theophile Hebert, the artist's father;

Sir William Hingston;

Honorable E.P Leblanc;

Honorable Felix G. Marchand;

Francois Mercier, explorateur;

Dr. Oronhayatheka;

Honorable Damien Rolland;

Honorable Jean-Baptiste Rolland;

Honorable Israel Tarte;

Joseph Tasse;

Sir Charles Tupper.

+ O t h e r S l i d e s
a n d
D i g i t a l I m a g e s
A v a i l a b l e

The Hebert summerhouse and associated buildings
on and island in the Milles Iles River. Taken on a summerday in 197 and more digital images from summer 2003.

Includes exteriors of main house, stone icehouse, water front, studio and workshop.

Interiors of the studio. These designed and built by Hebert.

Some more of his works & other links

George Lessard

mediamentor AT canada DOT com
P.O.Box 456
Fort Smith, X0E 0P0
Canada