At age 16, Claude Théberge was admitted to the graphic art program at the École des beaux-arts de Québec, where he studied with Jean-Paul Lemieux and Jean Dallaire from 1950 to 1954. From 1954 to 1960, he lived in Paris, where he studied, successively, at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, the École du Louvre, André Lhote’s academy, and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. In 1963, having returned to Montréal, he founded Atelier Claude Théberge, bringing together 10 artists from various disciplines interested in the integration of arts with architecture, including Marcel Gendreau.
Artwork description
This ceramic mural is situated in the main lobby of the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau, above the restaurant and former changing rooms. Monumental in size, it commemorates various sports and the symbols of the Olympic Games. The simplified portrayal of the human forms seems to emphasize the universal nature of the Olympic spirit.
This mural is among the artist’s productions preceding the foundation of Atelier Claude Théberge.