The Life and Art of Albert Dumouchel
Albert Dumouchel was a Canadian printmaker, painter, and teacher whose creative practice spanned from abstract to figurative expressions. Born in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Canada, his artistic journey was shaped by diverse studies, including engraving in Montreal, etching and lithography in Paris, and sculpture in Valleyfield. He also studied with Alfred Pellan. Beyond his visual arts, Dumouchel was a photographer and a musician. His professional life included roles as a textile designer at Montreal Cottons and a teacher of art, drawing, art history, publicity, and photography.
A significant figure in Montreal's artistic community, Dumouchel was involved in the Exquisite corpse experiments and the Montreal surrealists. He was a member of The Non-Figurative Artists Association of Montreal and signed the Prisme d'yeux manifesto. His work has been featured in various exhibitions worldwide and is held in major public collections, including:
Teaching and Legacy
Dumouchel left a profound mark on art education, particularly through his work at the École des arts graphiques (now Collège Ahuntsic), where he taught from 1942 to 1960. He established an engraving workshop at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montreal and served as the head of its graphics division from 1960 to 1969. His teaching was noted for influencing and inspiring many artists, with the graphics department being described as a premier training ground in the country.
His international recognition included a UNESCO scholarship to study in Europe and representing Canada at the Venice Biennale in 1960. He was also honored by the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts. In his later years, he resided in Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, where he passed away.
