Description
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Louis Hémon's passing, a new monument was erected in Péribonka. Sponsored by the municipality in collaboration with the Société des Amis de Maria Chapdelaine and the Société Historique du Saguenay, the monument features two medallions created by the Ouellet twins, representing the author and the character Maria Chapdelaine. It was unveiled in July 1963.
From an aesthetic standpoint, however, the monument was met with mixed opinions. In the 1980s, it was relocated near the Péribonka River, away from the view of visitors at the newly established Pavillon Contemporain du Musée Louis-Hémon. Since October 19, 2023, it now stands in front of the village cemetery.
Artists' Biography
Majella and Majellaine Ouellet were born on January 7, 1941, in Hébertville, Lac-Saint-Jean. From an early age, they showed a keen interest in wood carving. In November 1961, they completed a seven-month apprenticeship in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli under the mentorship of Jean-Julien Bourgault, brother of sculptors Médard and André Bourgault. Among their most notable works are Stations of the Cross for the convents of Sœurs du Saint-Rosaire in Hébertville and Notre-Dame du Dégelé, as well as the Stations of the Cross, accompanied by nine statues and the bells of Saint-Philippe Church in Arvida.