It was following a brief trip to London and Paris in 1920 when Marc-Aurèle Fortin decided to paint full-time and exhibit his work. The artist was undoubtedly inspired by the cities’ renowned fine art museums as well as the picturesque scenery and local architecture. He returned to Europe again in 1934 as an established painter, having developed a reputation for colourful renditions of rural Quebec. During this second trip, which endured several months, Fortin spent time in Paris, the Côte d’Azur, the Rhone Valley, as well as Italy. The painter returned to Quebec in 1935 with several pencil and oil sketches of Paris, Nice and Rouen. The charming oil on board “La Seine à Paris” depicts the popular subject of Paris’ many bridges that connect the Right and Left banks, in a style that is quintessentially Fortin.
This painting was in the collection of the esteemed Leo Kolber, former senator, lawyer, businessman and philanthropist. Mr. Kolber called Montreal home, and was an important benefactor for the city, actively supporting the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal, McGill University and the Jewish General Hospital, and for many years was the chief fundraiser for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Mr. Kolber studied law at McGill University, where he encountered Charles Bronfman, the two becoming close friends. It was through this connection that Mr. Kolber was hired by Sam Bronfman, head of the Bronfman business empire, to run CEMP Investments. Kolber was also an active participant on boards for numerous corporations, including the Cineplex Odeon Corporation, TD Bank and the Seagram Company. He established the Cadillac Fairview Corporation, one of North America’s largest real estate firms. In 1983, Mr. Kolber was named to the senate and served as the chairman to the Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce. Mr. Kolber retired from the Senate in 2004. A proud and generous supporter of many cultural and civic organizations in Montreal, Mr. Kolber was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2007.
