Quebec heritage site, former home of renowned artist, destroyed by fire

MONTREAL — A Quebec heritage site on the Island of Montreal that was the former home of a renowned artist has been destroyed in a fire.

A Montreal fire department spokesperson says it took some 40 firefighters about five hours to extinguish the blaze that began Sunday night at the vacant residence in the on-island suburb of Kirkland.

The former home belonged to Charles Daudelin, a well-known sculptor and painter whose art has been displayed in Ottawa, Quebec, Montreal, Charlottetown and Paris.

“It’s a great loss for Kirkland,” said Mayor Michel Gibson. “It was part of our heritage.”

Built beginning in 1951 and later enlarged, the flat-roofed, cedar-clad building, as well as its stand-alone studio, was Daudelin’s home and workplace for some 50 years until his death in 2001. It was built from plans designed by Charles Elliott Trudeau, an architect who was the brother of former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

Gibson said the studio was not destroyed in the fire.

Fire department spokesperson Émilie Barbeau-Charlebois says the cause of the fire is undetermined but there is nothing to suggest it was criminal in nature.

Kirkland records show that the owners were seeking permission to demolish the building in October 2022; however, the province announced its intention to designate it as a heritage site soon afterward. Gibson said a member of Daudelin’s family asked the government to preserve the house, which had been unoccupied for several years.

Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe described the 1950s-era home and its studio in a December 2022 news release as “important witnesses to the cultural heritage of Quebec.”

In response to questions about the fire, Lacombe’s office said late Monday that it was in contact with authorities in Kirkland and was “following the situation closely.”

“Since the classification of the site, the Department of Culture and Communications has accompanied and supported the owners so that the work required to preserve the building is carried out and that an expansion and restoration project for the Maison Charles-Daudelin can ensure the sustainability of this exceptional property,” Lacombe’s office said in an email.

Quebec’s heritage listing says the home and the studio “eloquently respond to the evolution of the artist’s needs throughout his career.”

“The abundant windows of the house and workshop offer views onto the gardens, which create close links between the living and creative spaces, both inside and outside the buildings,” it continued.

The site was last valued at just over $2 million, Montreal property records show. On Monday, only a twisted frame remained.

Daudelin was born in Granby, Que., in 1920 but moved to Montreal to study in his late teens. His long career included painting, sculpting, goldsmithing and ceramics. His creations and public art were found in a number of prominent public places, including the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Montreal courthouse, and Place des Arts. One of his fountains was erected outside Charlottetown’s legislature, while another is found at Place du Québec in Paris.

He was named a grand officer of the Order of Quebec in 1998.

A street in Kirkland has been named after Daudelin, and Gibson said the town commissioned one of his fountains years ago, which sits in front of the town hall. “At least we’ve got something with us that will stay for a long time,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2024.

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press