Laurier Lacroix, Suzor-Coté: Light and Matter, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2002, page 223
“Portrait of a Woman”, depicting a peasant woman in profile, demonstrates Suzor-Coté’s ability to capture the character of the sitter with great intimacy. Suzor-Coté occupies a noteworthy place among Québecois artists who took it upon themselves to celebrate and perpetuate the memory of this ‘humble hero,’ including Horatio Walker, Alfred Laliberté, and Clarence Gagnon.
While Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté was renowned for his depictions of the landscape, he was also determined to include images of their rural inhabitants. Inspired by French Realist artists such as Jean-François Millet, Suzor-Coté focused on portraying the individuals in their daily life through portraits and genre scenes. The artist had a particular respect and empathy for these people, which is “attributable to the fact that the artist and model shared a common origin.”
