After studying at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté returned to his native Canada and sought to capture the mesmerising mountain landscapes of his homeland. Here, he quickly gained critical acclaim as an artist, breaking away from the rigid academic tradition of studio painting, in favour of Canada's iconic and breath-taking scenery.
Heavily influenced by French Impressionism, his works demonstrate a fascination with colour theory and the play of light on snowy mountain tops and icy lakes.
In 1907, Suzor-Côté began to develop his talents in sculpting, and by 1919 he had excelled in the medium. His works in bronze are quite rare, as he is thought to have only produced around fifty in his career. As with his painterly approach, the influence of Impressionism remained dominant throughout his experimentation with sculpture.