André Charles Biéler (8 October 1896 – 1 December 1989) was a Swiss-born Canadian painter and teacher. His work was modernist, at first with strong emphasis on line, later with more interest in light and colour. He is known for his genre pictures of life in rural Quebec. He was the first president of the

Federation of Canadian Artists The Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) is an association of artists in Canada founded in Toronto in 1941. The FCA soon had chapters across the country, and was one of the main forces behind formation of the Canada Council in 1957. After this, the ...

(1942–1944), and was instrumental in the foundation of the

Canada Council The Canada Council for the Arts (), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It is Canada's public arts funder, with a mandate to ...

and the

Agnes Etherington Art Centre The Agnes Etherington Art Centre is located in Kingston, Ontario, on the campus of Queen's University. The gallery has received a number of awards for its exhibitions from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Association of Art Galleries ...

Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario. It is at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, the south end of the Rideau Canal. Kingston is near the Thousand Islands, ...

Early years

André Charles Biéler was born in

Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...

, Switzerland on 8 October 1896. His father, Charles Biéler, was director of the Collège Galliard. His mother Blanche was the daughter of the historian

Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné (16 August 179421 October 1872) was a Swiss Protestant minister and historian of the Reformation. Life Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné was born at , a neighbourhood of Geneva. A street in the area is named after him. The ...

(1794–1872). Biéler, moved to Paris for twelve years with his parents and brothers,

Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...

Étienne Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...

, and Jacques, before the whole family immigrated to Canada in 1908
Biéler's father
became registrar of

the Presbyterian College, Montreal The Presbyterian College/Le Collège Presbytérien, 3495 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, is a Theological College of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and is affiliated with McGill University through its School of Religious Studies. The Pre ...

. Biéler studied at Westmount Academy and then the Institut Technique de Montreal. He intended to study architecture. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

(1914–1918) Biéler joined the

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricias) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

in 1915. He was wounded and seriously gassed.

Artistic training and development

After being released from the army Biéler studied at the

Lycée Carnot The Lycée Carnot () is a public secondary and higher education school at 145 Boulevard Malesherbes in the 17th arrondissement, Paris, France. The Lycée Carnot was founded in 1869, first bearing the name of École Monge and then renamed in 1 ...

in Paris. In 1919 he returned to Canada, then went to

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

to recuperate, where Harry Davis Fluhart (1861–1938) gave him art lessons. He received a veteran's grant that allowed him to study under

Charles Rosen Charles Welles Rosen (May 5, 1927December 9, 2012) was an American pianist and writer on music. He is remembered for his career as a concert pianist, for his recordings, and for his many writings, notable among them the book '' The Classical St ...

(1878–1950) and

Eugene Speicher Eugene (Edward) Speicher National Academician, NA (April 5, 1883 – May 11, 1962) was an American portrait, landscape, and figurative painter. He was one of the foremost realists of his generation who closely upheld the mantle of his mentor, Robe ...

(1883–1962) at the

Art Students League of New York The Art Students League of New York is an art school in the American Fine Arts Society in Manhattan, New York City. The Arts Students League is known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists. Although artists may study f ...

Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, New York, Kingston. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The popula ...

. He returned to Montreal, where he became acquainted with members of the

Beaver Hall Group The Beaver Hall Group refers to a Montreal-based group of Canadians, Canadian painters who met in the late 1910s while studying art at a school run by the Art Association of Montreal. The Group is notable for its equal inclusion of men and women ar ...

. From 1922 to 1926 Biéler spent most of his time in Switzerland, studying under his uncle Ernest Biéler, a painter and muralist. He helped his uncle with several frescoes in the town hall of

Le Locle Le Locle (; ) is a Communes of Switzerland, municipality in the Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It is situated in the Jura Mountains, a few kilometers from the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is the third smallest city in Switzerland (in Swit ...

in the Canton of Neuchâtel. He also spent some time in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, France, and studied at the

Académie Ranson The Académie Ranson was a private art school founded in 1908 in Paris by the French painter Paul Ranson (1862–1909). History The Académie Ranson was founded in 1908 by Paul Ranson (1862–1909), who himself studied at the Académie Jul ...

with

Maurice Denis Maurice Denis (; 25 November 1870 – 13 November 1943) was a French painter, decorative artist, and writer. An important figure in the transitional period between impressionism and modern art, he is associated with '' Les Nabis'', symbolism, ...

(1870–1943) and

Paul Sérusier Paul Sérusier (; 9 November 1864 – 7 October 1927) was a French painter who was a pioneer of abstract art and an inspiration for the avant-garde Nabis movement, Synthetism and Cloisonnism. Education Sérusier was born in Paris. He studie ...

(1864–1927). In 1924 Biéler had his first solo exhibition, at the

Art Association of Montreal The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is an art museum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the largest art museum in Canada by gallery space. The museum is located on the historic Golden Square Mile stretch of Sherbrooke Street west. The MMFA ...

. He lived on the

Île d'Orléans Île d'Orléans (; ) is an island located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians c ...

in Quebec from 1927 to 1929, where he painted the

habitants Habitants () were French settlers and inhabitants of French origin who farmed the land along both shores of the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in what is now Quebec, Canada. The term was used by the inhabitants themselves an ...

. He met A. Y. Jackson (1882–1974) at this time. In 1930 Biéler set up a studio in Montreal, earning a living by undertaking commercial commissions and by teaching. He and

John Goodwin Lyman John Goodwin Lyman (September 29, 1886 – May 26, 1967) was an American-born Canadian modernist painter active largely in Montreal, Quebec. In the 1930s he did much to promote modern art in Canada, founding the Contemporary Art Society in 1939. ...

founded the Atelier art school, which only lasted for a short period. Biéler and

Edwin Holgate Edwin Headley Holgate (August 19, 1892 – May 21, 1977), was a Canadian painter, muralist, and printmaker. Holgate played a major role in Montreal's art community, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where he both studied and taught. He was k ...

led the "Oxford Group" in Montreal, which met in a below-ground room at the Oxford tavern at lunchtime. The group had roughly equal numbers of francophone and anglophone members. Other members were

Albert Edward Cloutier Albert Edward Cloutier (1902–1965) was a Canadian painter and graphic designer who painted in a form of intensified realism with abstract plastic forms. Life Albert Edward Cloutier was born in 1902 of Canadian parents in Leominster, Massachuse ...

Adrien Hébert Adrien Hébert (April12, 1890 June26, 1967) was a painter who has been called the first interpreter of Quebec modernity. He was inspired by the port of Montreal and the city itself. Career Adrien Hébert was born in Paris, France where his fath ...

, the art critic Jean Chauvin and the editor Carrier. Biéler worked with Jeannette Meunier, a young interior decorator and designer. Through her he became involved in design of theater sets and costumes, furniture, interiors, fabrics and posters. He promoted interior decoration using the homespun textiles made by spinners and weavers from the lower St. Lawrence region. In 1931 Biéler and Jeannette Meunier married. Biéler often visited the

Laurentian Mountains The Laurentian Mountains, also known as the Laurentians or Laurentides, are a mountain range in Canada. The range is long and ranges in height from with peaks over . The Laurentian Mountains extend across Labrador and Quebec within the Laurent ...

on painting expeditions. In 1935 the Biélers moved to Saint-Adèle, a quiet town in the Laurentians. Biéler made some of the illustrations for ''Kingdom of the Saguenay'' (1936) by

Marius Barbeau Charles Marius Barbeau, (March 5, 1883 – February 27, 1969), also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadians, Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthr ...

Professor

In 1936 Biéler became a professor of art at Queen's University in

. Biéler organized the first conference of Canadian artists in 1941. This led to the foundation of the

, of which Biéler was the first president. Biéler taught at the Banff School of Fine Arts in the summers of 1940, 1947, 1949 and 1952. In 1953-54 he took a one-year sabbatical from Queen's to study and paint in Europe. Biéler provided impetus that led to the formation of the

in 1957. He was also the main organizer of the

in Kingston in 1957, and was its first director, assisted by curator Frances K. Smith. He returned to Europe to travel and paint in the summer of 1959. Biéler retired from Queens University in 1963. With more freedom to travel, he visited Mexico in 1964, 1966, and 1972. Biéler belonged to the

Canadian Group of Painters The Canadian Group of Painters (CGP) was a collective of 28 painters from across Canada who came together as a group in 1933. Its Archives is in Queen's University, Kingston. Formation The Canadian Group of Painters succeeded the disbanded Grou ...

and the

Royal Canadian Academy of Arts The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) is a Canadian arts-related organization that was founded in 1880. History 1880 to 1890 The title of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts was received from Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria on 16 ...

. He developed a pneumatic relief printing press, and formed a company that ran the press. In 1957 he received the J. W. L. Forster Award from the

Ontario Society of Artists The Ontario Society of Artists (OSA) was founded in 1872. It is Canada's oldest continuously operating professional art society. When it was founded at the home of John Arthur Fraser, seven artists were present. Besides Fraser himself, Marmaduke ...

. He was awarded the

Canadian Centennial Medal The Canadian Centennial Medal () is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were recommended by government, professional, ...

and an honorary doctorate, and in 1987 was made a member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

. André Charles Biéler died in

on 1 December 1989. He was survived by his wife Jeannette and four children. His son, Ted Biéler, became a well-known sculptor.

Work

Style

Biéler's style was closer to that of contemporary French painters, in particular to the "

School of Paris The School of Paris (, ) refers to the French and émigré artists who worked in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. The School of Paris was not a single art movement or institution, but refers to the importance of Paris as a centre o ...

," then to Canadian movements. His early work shows the influence of his uncle Ernest, with the close attention to line and form essential for stained glass and mosaic work. His later paintings, prints, sculptures and murals treat traditional subjects in a modernist style. He made lively genre pictures of life in rural Quebec, showing figures working in groups or gathering around churches, in harmony with the landscape. He has said, In his later years Biéler reinterpreted many of his earlier sketches in terms of light and colour. Nancy Baele wrote in 1982 of his work,

Selected works

Biéler's major works include: *Large mural, 19 by 16 feet, for the Shipshaw plant of the Aluminum Company of Canada, depicting hydro electric power and the aluminum industry in the Quebec region of Lac Saint Jean and the

Saguenay River __NOTOC__ The Saguenay River (, ) is a major river of Quebec, Canada. It drains Lac Saint-Jean in the Laurentian Highlands, leaving at Alma and running east; the city of Saguenay is located on the river. It drains into the Saint Lawrence River. ...

(1945–48) *Large painting for

Canadian Pulp and Paper Association The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is a trade association which represents Canada's wood, pulp and paper producers both nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. Canada's forest products industry i ...

(1948) *Mural for Veterans' Affairs Building, Ottawa (1955) *Seventy five colour woodcuts for the

Queen Elizabeth Hotel Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth () is a historic grand hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. With 950 rooms and 21 floors it is the largest hotel in Quebec, and the second largest Fairmont hotel in Canada after the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Lo ...

, Montreal (1957) *Mosaic mural for Chalmers United Church, Kingston (1957) *Mosaic mural for the Frontenac Wall & Tile, Kingston (1958) *Mural for

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...

, Dorval (1958) *Plaster & aluminum relief mural for Aluminum Laboratories, Kingston (1968).

Exhibitions

Biéler held more than twenty five solo exhibitions in locations that included Geneva, Montreal, Kingston, Quebec City, Edmonton, Calgary, Banff, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, and

San Miguel de Allende San Miguel de Allende () is the principal city in the Municipalities of Mexico, municipality of San Miguel de Allende (municipality), San Miguel de Allende, located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. A part of the Bajío region, the t ...

in Mexico. Major

retrospective A retrospective (from Latin ', "look back"), generally, is a look back at events that took place, or works that were produced, in the past. As a noun, ''retrospective'' has specific meanings in software development, popular culture, and the arts. ...

exhibitions were held at the

in Kingston in 1963, showing 115 works, and in 1970. The 1970 retrospective titled ''André Biéler, 50 years: a retrospective exhibition 1920-1970'' traveled to ten galleries in Canada.

References

Notes Citations Sources * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bieler, Andre Charles 1896 births 1989 deaths Members of the Order of Canada 20th-century Canadian painters Canadian male painters Artists from Lausanne 20th-century Canadian male artists Swiss emigrants to Canada