Place

Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Date

1926 - 1930

DIMENSIONS in centimetres

99 x 70

Materials & techniques

Burlap, wool, animal hair; Hand-spun, plain woven, hooked

Credit

Gift of Heather and Brian Ayer

ID

Textile Museum of Canada T03.14.1

Clarence Gagnon was a Quebec painter who was interested in the revival of Canadian handicrafts. He spent time in Baie-Saint-Paul when he discovered women there who were making elaborate hooked rugs with an artistic flair. He arranged for strong woollen materials to be sent to these women to produce rugs of his design. This rug illustrates a grouse among foliage; it was hooked using hand-spun and hand-dyed wool containing goat or horse hair for strength.

The wife of a close friend of Gagnon, Florence Hutchison, wrote a note (undated) that reads:

This rug was designed by Clarence Gagnon. He selected a woman in Baie St. Paul whom he considered an expert in needlepoint to make it and was well pleased with her execution and skill. Fred Hutchison thought it a fine example of Canadian handicraft and paid $50.00 for the rug to the woman who did the needlepoint. She was delighted and Clarence Gagnon was well pleased with the transaction.