Zacharie Vincent and His Son Cyprien, c.1851

Formal portrait painting by Zacharie Vincent of an adult man with facial hair and shoulder-length black hair. He is wearing an orange shirt, a metal arm band, a beaded wampum belt worn across his chest, and has an axe resting on his arm. On his lap is a child wearing a blue shirt and holding a bow and arrows.

Zacharie Vincent, Zacharie Vincent and His Son Cyprien, c.1851, oil on canvas, 48.5 x 41.2 cm, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

In this self-portrait, and others from around this time, Vincent portrays himself with his eldest son, Cyprien. Before the democratizing effect of photography became widespread, the painted family portrait was a mark of pride in a family’s lineage. This painting can also be understood as a conscious response to those who had predicted the disappearance of the Hurons. In the early years of his career Vincent sought to define his identity, both professional and individual, and to document his status as a father and an artist.

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Zacharie Vincent and His Son Cyprien - Art Canada