Albert Gilles Copper Art Boutique Holy Water Wall Font Quebec St Anne De Beaupre

Details of a Church copper door

Chalice commissioned past Pope Pius XII to commemorate the 300 years of the Archdiocese of Montreal in 1942.

Albert Gilles (1895-1979) was a French coppersmith.

Biography [edit]

Albert Louis Gilles was born the 20th of August 1895 in French republic and his aunt, Palmyre Gilles, introduces him to the art of Repoussé.  For him, it quickly became a passion, and at the age of 12 years old, he creates a lovely jewellery box for his female parent.

Pursuing a commercial course by twenty-four hours, he takes fine art classes in the evening. During the First Globe State of war, Albert Gilles is injured in his right mitt and he rehabilitates it past milking cows in a farm.

Later the state of war, he resumes his artistic activities and in 1925 and 1926, he participates in and distinguishes himself at the «Salon des artistes décorateurs» in Paris.

In 1927, he emigrated to Canada and, on February 10, landed in Quebec Urban center. In 1929,he founded the « Albert Gilles Studio » (became « Cuivres d'Art Albert Gilles » - « Albert Gilles Copper Art Studio » ). He crosses the edge and works in Detroit, so Hollywood and Los Angeles, as a decorator, metallic sculptor and sometimes equally a silversmith.  He also restores in 1937, the damaged gates of Havana's Capitol and decides to go dorsum to Canada.

He starts working for the church and established himself in Quebec as a religious creative person. His copper reliefs and enamel murals establish their place in the artistic efflorescence that marked the religious art of this period. And in 1942, he was internationally recognized when deputed by Pope Pius XII, to execute the silver beaker offered to the archdiocese of Montreal.

His "Christorama" showroom is devoted to the life of Christ. Albert Gilles e'er considered this collection of 50 silver repoussé low reliefs, his most significant work, his greatest accomplishment and the ane of which he was most proud.  Started during the 1930s, it took him 15 years to achieve.  The idea of the Christorama originated in Detroit in 1932.

Aaron Mendelsohn, of General Motors, commissioned the artist to create an illustrated life of Christ in memory of his late wife. He himself died when but 40 of the reliefs had been finished and Albert Gilles determine to stop them and proceed them.

Over the years and into the 1960s, he busy more than xxx places of worship in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario, as well every bit in the U.s. and Jamaica. The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, the cathedrals of Cornwall (On.), Moncton (NB) and Valleyfield (Que.), a few chapels and many parish churches have one or more than of his works.

Albert Gilles died in 1979, and since then, his family continued his work, creating secular and religious pieces.

Gilles famously one time said, "I am not an artist, merely an artisan."

Achievements [edit]

The American years [edit]

Gilles emigrated to the United States in early 1929, settling in Detroit. The enthusiasm sparked by the International Exhibition of Mod Decorative

and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925 certainly helped pave the way for Gilles' American career as a decorator. He worked for such clients equally automotive

magnates Charles Fisher and Aaron Mendelsohn of the Fisher Trunk Company(after Full general Motors) and Thou.T. Keller of Chrysler. In 1933, he moved to

California, putting his talents to piece of work for leading film stars like Fredric March, Mae West and Joan and Constance Bennett. He also helped decorate various

residences, for Sol M. Wurtzel, of the Play a joke on Moving-picture show Corporation, and for Walt and Roy Oliver Disney, too as the Los Angeles Times building.

In 1957, two decades after leaving the United states, he made four massive doors in his Château-Richer workshop for the Beginning Congregational

Church of Los Angeles. The church was designated a historic monument in 2002.

Religious art [edit]

In 1937, ten years later on first landing in Quebec, Gilles returned, settling here permanently. His copper repoussé reliefs and cloisonné enamel murals were

popular additions to the flourishing religious art scene at the time. His reputation as a religious artist and artisan was sealed with an exhibition in 1941 of

50 panels showing the life of Christ, followed in 1942 by a Papal commission to pattern and produce the chalice and paten for the mass jubilant Montreal's 300th anniversary.

Over the years and into the 1960s, he decorated more than thirty churches in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario, as well as in the U.s.a. and Jamaica.

The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré basilica, cathedrals in Cornwall, Ontario, Moncton, New Brunswick, and Valleyfield, Quebec, several chapels and numerous parish

churches all take one or more than of Gilles' copper, brass or silver repoussé pieces. His relief work besides adorns many doors, architectural elements (capitals and

columns), church fittings (altars, railings, pulpits, baptismal fonts and tabernacles), and other ceremonial accessories (Paschal candlesticks and sanctuary lamps). In

other cases, his reliefs draw scenes representing the fourteen stations of the cross or holy figures, and in still others they are joined to form murals.

Today is tradition is perpetuated past his family unit.

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