Buste du cardinal Paul-Émile Léger
Presentation of the artworkSitting on a granite pedestal, the bronze bust of Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger is presented in the square named after him, on Boulevard René-Lévesque. The cardinal is portrayed in one of his church habits and has a benevolent expression on his face.
The artist made the first version of this bust in 1984. However, it was not designed for exhibition in an outdoor context. With a view to integrating the bust into the new square created in honour of the hundredth anniversary of the cardinal’s birth, the decision was made in 2007 to make a copy of the original artwork.
Associated eventsPaul-Émile Léger, born in Valleyfield on 25 April 1904, was the first archbishop of Montréal, a position that he held in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1968, he resigned as archbishop to become a missionary in Africa. His entire life was devoted to the struggle against social injustice. In Québec, he founded Hôpital Saint-Charles-Borromée, Patro Le Prévost, and the Institut Dominique-Savio, but his involvement went far beyond the borders of his home province, and his humanitarian works are still active today in 22 countries spread over three continents. He died in Montréal on 13 November 1991. “Dignity is an inalienable right for all human beings, whatever their condition.” – Paul-Émile Léger
Born in Hungary in 1919, the Canadian sculptor Paul Lancz studied at the Budapest School of Fine Arts and worked for three years with the internationally renowned Hungarian sculptor Szigmond Kisfaludy Strobl. Lancz moved to Canada in 1956. Much of his production consisted of busts of well-known politicians and artists. In 1967, he presented a bust of Israeli prime minister David Ben Gurion to the Israel Pavilion for the Montréal World Fair. Among the other busts that he produced were those of eminent Montréal figures, including Abraham Bronfman, Armand Frappier, Alexis Nihon, and René Lépine. He died in Montréal in 2005.