In First Snow – Old Chapel and Church, Île‑Perrot, 1976, Lorne Bouchard, 1913–1978, captures the quiet stillness that follows the season’s first snowfall. A modest stone chapel with a steep, weathered roof and a small bell tower rises gently against a pale winter sky, while a taller church to the right anchors the composition. Bare trees frame the pair of structures, their fine branches etched lightly against the horizon, and a curving track in the snow leads the eye into the scene, suggesting the presence of human passage without depicting figures. Bouchard’s restrained palette of soft greys, muted creams, warm browns, and cool blues conveys a contemplative mood, celebrating rural architecture and the hush of winter in this historic Quebec village setting.

Born George Lorne Holland Bouchard in Montreal in 1913, he began drawing as a boy and went on to study at the Barnes School of Art under Wilfred M. Barnes and at the École des beaux‑arts de Montréal with Maurice Félix. Influential Canadian artists Clarence Gagnon and Maurice Cullen recognized and encouraged his talent early in his career, supporting his development as a landscape painter rooted in both realism and impressionism. Bouchard painted en plein air across Canada and beyond, from the coasts of Gaspé and the Laurentians to northern reaches of the Arctic, and his works were exhibited widely with the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Bouchard’s career combined technical versatility and a deep engagement with place, and he was elected an associate member of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1943 and a full member in 1962. His paintings are included in significant public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where they continue to testify to his commitment to capturing Canada’s varied landscapes and community landmarks. This oil painting measures 14 x 17 inches and is signed bottom left.