Canada is one of the most developed countries in the world. The country has a very special place for culture that includes music, sports and art and design. According to Colombo, the culture of Canada is a blend of European cultures that are comprised of French and British cultures (47). This paper specifically focuses on the painting (Sister Sainte-Alphonse, 1841) by Antoine Plamondon, and how the artwork demonstrates the national identity of Canada.
Antoine Plamondon was born in 1804 and brought up in Quebec City. When he became of age, he started working as an apprentice for Joseph Legare, who was a renowned painter and image editor. By 1826, Antoine had earned himself a lot of experience, but still wanted to advance his career in art. He therefore left Canada for Paris to pursue further studies in classical art. While in Paris, Antoine mingled with famous artists such as Paulin Guerin (Hubbard, 14).
The environment in Paris was not favorable to his career and that is why after the Loise Philippe uprisings were over, Antoine decided to head back home in 1830. After returning to Quebec, churches contracted Antoine to draw paintings for them. This implies that the items he painted had religious significant. The churches used the paintings to celebrate their leaders and other members who had made commendable achievements in the churches towards the spread of the gospel (Hubbard, 14).
Among the most popular paintings of Antoine Plamondon include the painting of Sister Sainte-Alphonse, which he did in 1841.The artwork represents the place of religion in Canada. The painting was also used to demonstrate an element of fashion and the garments that are worn by the character in the image represent this. The image depicts both textile and furniture fashion. The woman is seated on a chair that represents the craftiness of Canadian woodworks.
The items that are in this image have integrated harmony in them. This is because all the items in the image are interconnected, that is the chair, the woman, and the Holy Scriptures in her arms. It would be difficult to achieve harmony if certain items such as the scriptures were placed elsewhere in the image. The image is well balanced because it is evenly stretched on the surface and thus, if we were to divide the image into two we would get two equal pieces that can be merged to make one complete image.
Likewise, the image of the woman seems to dominate this piece of work because it occupies a larger area compared to the other objects and in fact, it is the first item that attracts the attention of the viewer. There is a lot of contrast at the center of the image meant to add light into the image. However, blending several colors creates a shadow, which represents the emergence of new styles in art.
Furthermore, Esaak argues that this artistic period was called the renaissance art period when ancient designs were revived by merging them with new styles (1). For instance, shadowing did not have to emerge from dark colors, but reducing the contrast of the background color made this possible. However, the image lacks texture because the tone of the surface is very smooth. Perhaps this is intended to symbolize the peace that is provided by aligning oneself with religion.
The colors used in this image are very bright, which is important because it helps in identifying the different items that are in the image. The bright colors are also used to emphasize on the fashion represented by the garment that is worn by the woman. Otherwise, it would be difficult to understand the aspect of fashion in this image.
Antoine’s depiction of colors represents the national identity of Canada in so many ways. Generally, a national flag represents the national identity of any given nation. In this case, Edwardson explains that the national flag of Canada is comprised of brilliant red and white colors (6).
Therefore, the two colors in the image represent the national identity of Canada: the chair and the Holy Scriptures demonstrate the two colors. The white part of the garment worn by the woman represents a color of Canada’s flag that symbolizes peace. The chair represents the authority or in other words the superiority of Canada. Further, the presence of Holy Scriptures implies that religion has a very special place in Canada and that the two elements are related.
The three major colors in the artwork symbolize that the population of this country is a multicultural one, meaning that the people who reside in Canada hail from different backgrounds. For instance, the black color represents Africans and the other colors represent immigrants from European and Asian countries.
From another perspective, the white part of the garment worn by the woman represents holiness/purity. This is because this specific area is clean from any other color. The garment covers the entire body of the woman leaving only the face, which represents the morality of religion. There is also an aspect of race and social class in the image. The woman is of a bright complexion, which represents the whites in Canada. This also suggests that the whites were very committed to the spread of the gospel.
The fashion represented by the furniture in the image is that of an elite class that was comprised of the wealthy in the society. This is because the chair is not an ordinary chair; this is evidenced by its shape and design. Since the woman is seated on the chair that symbolizes authority, it implies that women are respected and appreciated in Canada and have their reservations in leadership positions.
The presence of Holy Scriptures in the image suggests that the government of Canada recognizes the existence of a divine being – God. Kearney and Randy state that religion is an issue that is closely guarded in Canada (20), and the small cross that hangs on the woman’s neck represents this.
The lines that separate the colors in the image have smooth edges, meaning that there is no conflict of cultures in Canada, as one would expect in a multicultural country. This could also mean that while people are in Canada, they are allowed to retain their original identities. Besides, this means that the country is very accommodative.
Additionally, the different parts of the garment have different colors, but they still fall into the same shape, meaning that authority is the unifying factor in this nation. From a secular perspective, the garment of the woman could imply that religion denies one an opportunity to be him/herself. This is because the woman does not demonstrate an aspect of beauty because most parts of her body are covered.
In conclusion, the churches in Canada played a very significant role because they are the ones that displayed the talents possessed by the artists. This is because the arts of Antoine Plamondon and other artists as well were displayed in places of worship, which blew the whistle about the talents of these artists. The arts would not have recognized if individuals owned them. The color used in this particular painting is a great symbol of patriotism in art.
Works Cited
Colombo, Robert.1000 Questions about Canada: Places, People, Things and Ideas: A Question-and –Answer Book on Canadian Facts and Culture. Ontario: Dandum Press Ltd, 2001. Print.
Edwardson, Ryan. Canadian Content: Culture and the Quest for Nationhood, London: University of Toronto, 2008. Print.
Esaak, Shelley. “What are The “elements “of art? Why are they Important?.” About.com n.d. Web.
Hubbard, R. H. Antoine Plamondon / 1802-1895, Théophile Hamel / 1817-170. Two Painters of Quebec / Deux Peintres de Québec. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1970, pp. 14-15.
Kearney, Mark and Ray Randy. The Big Book of Lists. Ontario: Hounslow Press, 2009. Print.