Ludger Larose (1868–1915) The One To One, Oil On Wood, 19th Century

Ludger Larose (1868–1915) The One to One, Oil on Wood, 19th Century

This captivating oil on wood painting depicts a genre scene featuring two figures dressed in the Louis XIII style, engaged in conversation within a typical High Period interior. The work, executed with great finesse, showcases Ludger Larose’s talent for capturing the atmosphere and intricate details of a bygone era.

Perfectly preserved, the painting is presented in its original 19th-century gilded wood frame. The artist’s signature, placed in the lower left corner, confirms its authenticity.

Dimensions:

Without frame: Height 8⅝ in – Length 12⅝ in

With frame: Height 15¾ in – Length 19⅔ in

Biography:

Ludger Larose (1868–1915) – A Committed Artist Between Tradition and Modernity.

Born in Montreal in 1868, Ludger Larose emerged as a distinctive figure in Quebec’s late 19th- and early 20th-century art scene. A painter, drawing instructor, and outspoken free thinker, he was known for his bold approach and rejection of convention. Trained at the École des arts et métiers de Montréal under Abbé Joseph Chabert—a key figure in artistic education of the time—Larose quickly developed a personal style marked by intellectual curiosity and a desire to challenge established norms.

His artistic career was as diverse as it was prolific: he created portraits for Montreal’s elite, fulfilled religious commissions, and explored still lifes, nudes, and urban scenes, introducing decidedly modern themes into a still-traditional context. His body of work, comprising several hundred paintings, demonstrates technical mastery and a keen sensitivity to light and narrative composition.

A self-proclaimed free thinker and anticlerical, Larose embodied a generation of artists seeking emancipation. His time in Paris, where he won a first prize in drawing at the Académie Delescluze, deepened his exposure to European movements while reinforcing his connection to Quebec’s reality. Between 1895 and 1913, he actively contributed to the cultural life of his time, exhibiting seven times at the Art Association of Montreal Salon and twice at the Royal Canadian Academy, invigorating the local art scene.

Today, his works are held in major collections, including the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Beaver Brook Art Gallery in Fredericton. Ludger Larose passed away in 1915, leaving behind a rich artistic legacy that reflects his eclecticism and commitment to accessible, innovative art.

Exhibitions and Recognition:

Larose’s oeuvre, which includes nearly 400 paintings, spans a wide range of subjects: portraits commissioned by Montreal’s bourgeoisie, religious works, still lifes, nudes, and urban scenes—these last considered a bold foray into pictorial modernity. He also excelled in graphic art.

Between 1895 and 1913, Larose exhibited seven times at the Art Association of Montreal Salon and twice at the Royal Canadian Academy. His talent was recognized with a first prize in drawing at the Académie Delescluze in Paris, where he studied.

His works are now preserved in prestigious institutions such as the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Beaver Brook Art Gallery in Fredericton.

Source:Alison Longstaff, Un artiste au quotidien au tournant du XXe siècle: le cas de Ludger Larose (1868–1915), thesis, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 2008.