File

This file focusses on Clarence A. Gagnon's funeral and the tributes paid following his death on January 5, 1942. It contains a program from the January 8, 1942, funeral held at St. Léon Church in Westmount and 29 press clippings.

Published in newspapers like The Montreal Herald, The Montreal Daily Star, The Gazette, Le Canada, Le Devoir and La Patrie, the articles primarily date from the days following his death. In them, Gagnon is described as a highly respected French-Canadian artist, known particularly for his Laurentian winter scenes and depictions of rural life. He is cited as a pioneer of Canadian Impressionism, along with Maurice Cullen and Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Côté. The obituaries lay out the highlights of his life and career: studied in Montreal with William Brymner, then at the Académie Julian in Paris; illustrated luxury editions of the novels Le grand silence blanc and Maria Chapdelaine; exhibited works in the Queen’s sitting room of Rideau Hall during the royal visit of 1939; proposed open-air museum projects on Île-d’Orléans and Mount Royal. His talents as an etcher—which earned him international fame—and his keen interest in rural handicrafts are also mentioned on numerous occasions. The accolades he received and the public collections that hold the painter's work are noted. Several articles evoke Gagnon's cheerful nature and love of the great outdoors. One quotes the description written by Toronto art critic Albert-H. Robson: "He was athletic, clean-cut and well-groomed, with a magnetic personality and a merry, roguish twinkle in his eyes. An ardent angler, he was always willing to change from the serious discussion of art to the raconteur, telling fascinating fish stories drawn from a wide and varied experience in many parts of the world."

The file contains several additional clippings, including an account of the funeral service. Among those in attendance were Montreal Mayor Adhémar Raynault, Senator Léon-Mercier Gouin, Paul Gouin, Édouard Fabre-Surveyer, Idola Saint-Jean, Percy E. Nobbs, William R. Watson, Dr. Charles F. Martin, Roger Viau, and artists Charles W. Simpson, Edmond Dyonnet and Prudence Heward. An article published in Le Devoir on April 19, 1943, reports that Jean-Marie Gauvreau, director of the École du meuble and a professor at Université de Montréal, delivered a tribute to the artist during a lecture at the Cercle Universitaire. Two articles from October 1963 report the unveiling in Baie St. Paul of a commemorative plaque in memory of the artist. Finally, the file includes a press clipping dated June 4, 1943, announcing the death of Gagnon's brother, Frédéric Gagnon.