Alfred Laliberté
Alfred Laliberté
1878 - 1953
RCA SSC
Alfred Laliberté is known primarily as a sculptor, and he produced over 900 pieces during his lifetime. His practice embodied an authentic tradition of French Canadian carving, with his best known pieces dedicated to historical depictions of national figures and events in Canada and France. His work is often divided into two parts. The first is his academic execution of public monuments and statues. The second is his intimate personal practice of small works, which were created mainly for his own pleasure. In these he would work from his vivid imagination, often recreating scenes from daily life in his childhood in rural Quebec or illustrating traditional folk legends of the area.

Born into a farming family in 1878, Laliberté initially intended to take up the family business. However, at the age of 15 he began sculpting figurines as a hobby, astonishing friends and family for their accurate likenesses of the local people. At the age of 20, his life-sized bust of future Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier won first prize at the Provincial Exhibition in Quebec City. His work was seen by Laurier, who encouraged the young artist, convincing Laliberté’s father to let him attend the Conseil des arts et manufactures (CAM) school in Montreal, where he began studying in 1896.

Upon graduating, Laliberté received first prize in the class, which granted him a study trip abroad. In 1902 he left Canada to live and study in Paris at the prestigious École des beaux-arts, where he met another notable Canadian sculptor, Marc-Aurèle Suzor-Coté. During this time Laliberté showed at the Salon du Printemps in Paris, receiving an honourable mention for his sculpture Young Indians Hunting (circa 1905), which was later acquired by the National Gallery of Canada.

In 1922 Laliberté joined the faculty of the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, and in 1928 he cofounded the Sculptors Society of Canada. He wrote three manuscripts about his life and works, which were published together in 1978 as Mes souvenirs.
HOW TO SELL
AVAILABLE WORKS
HEFFEL’S TOP RESULTS
Le violoneux by Alfred Laliberté sold for $43,125
Alfred Laliberté
Le violoneux
12 x 10 in, 30.5 x 25.4 cm
1928
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $15,000 - $18,000 CDN
Sold for: $43,125 CDN (premium included)
Fine Canadian Art Spring 2006 on Thursday, May 25, 2006
Le colon construisant son foyer by Alfred Laliberté sold for $37,375
Alfred Laliberté
Le colon construisant son foyer
19 x 20 x 8 in, 48.3 x 50.8 x 20.3 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000 CDN
Sold for: $37,375 CDN (premium included)
Fine Canadian Art Fall 2007 on Friday, November 23, 2007
Le violoneux by Alfred Laliberté sold for $34,500
Alfred Laliberté
Le violoneux
11 x 9 x 9 in, 27.9 x 22.9 x 22.9 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $9,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $34,500 CDN (premium included)
May 2006 - 2nd Session on Saturday, May 27, 2006
Le bûcheron by Alfred Laliberté sold for $14,950
Alfred Laliberté
Le bûcheron
8 1/2 x 5 x 4 1/2 in, 21.6 x 12.7 x 11.4 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $6,000 - $8,000 CDN
Sold for: $14,950 CDN (premium included)
Fine Canadian Art Fall 2006 on Friday, November 24, 2006
Bookends by Alfred Laliberté sold for $10,625
Alfred Laliberté
Bookends
,
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $3,000 - $4,000 CDN
Sold for: $10,625 CDN (premium included)
July 2017 - 1st Session on Thursday, July 27, 2017
Le Prisonnier Politique by Alfred Laliberté sold for $8,625
Alfred Laliberté
Le Prisonnier Politique
20 x 7 1/4 x 7 in, 50.8 x 18.4 x 17.8 cm
bronze sculpture on a marble base
Estimate: $6,000 - $8,000 CDN
Sold for: $8,625 CDN (premium included)
November 2004 on Saturday, November 27, 2004
Le jeu de cartes du diable by Alfred Laliberté sold for $8,190
Alfred Laliberté
Le jeu de cartes du diable
13 3/4 x 16 1/4 x 9 3/4 in, 34.9 x 41.3 x 24.8 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $7,000 - $9,000 CDN
Sold for: $8,190 CDN (premium included)
May 2009 - 1st Session on Thursday, May 28, 2009
Autoportrait / La femme, l'inspiratrice de tant de choses en ce monde by Alfred Laliberté sold for $8,050
Alfred Laliberté
Autoportrait / La femme, l'inspiratrice de tant de choses en ce monde
15 1/4 x 4 1/2 x 5 1/4 in, 38.7 x 11.4 x 13.3 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $8,000 - $10,000 CDN
Sold for: $8,050 CDN (premium included)
May 2008 - 2nd session on Saturday, May 31, 2008
Le creuseur d'auge by Alfred Laliberté sold for $7,020
Alfred Laliberté
Le creuseur d'auge
12 x 6 3/4 x 11 1/2 in, 30.5 x 17.1 x 29.2 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $8,000 - $10,000 CDN
Sold for: $7,020 CDN (premium included)
November 2012 - 5th Session on Thursday, November 29, 2012
Le sellier by Alfred Laliberté sold for $4,720
Alfred Laliberté
Le sellier
15 x 9 x 14 in, 38.1 x 22.9 x 35.6 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000 CDN
Sold for: $4,720 CDN (premium included)
August 2014 - 2nd Session on Thursday, August 28, 2014