White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-04-20
CIGAR SHOP INDIAN
MOURNS ITS MAKER
Famous Wood Carver Dies
in Canada.

Toronto. Ont-There died few
days ago in Ste. Anne de Beaupre'
Quebec, at the age OF eighty-six, Louis
John. the originator of the cigar-store
Indian.
Louis Johns family name does not
rest exclusively on his bizarre produc-
ton. He was described as the great
est wood carver in the world. He
carved wood for seventy years, though
of late his sight had failed and he had
laid away the chisel.
The present generation knew him
only as the religious wood carver OF
the shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre.
The pilgrims who left their crutches
took away in their stead little John
statuettes. His work has gone all over
the world, but the world Is unaware
of him. He never signed his statues.
You cannot go into church in rural
Quebec or motor through its roads,
that are one unendtng village, without
seeing q John. He made wayside
shrines and Calvaries as well as stat
ues for churches. His subjects were
Christ and Mary and the Holy Babe,
the innumerable saints of the calendar.
And his chisel and mallet made many
an apostle. Indeed, with his long,
white patriarchal beard, he himself
did not look unlike an apostle or an
early Christian father.
He did not forget his patron saint,
Ste. Anne, "Our Lady of the Miracles"
A more than life-sized statue of her
is IL. the garden of the basilica of the
Canadian Lourdes and pious pilgrims
kiss her hand in gratitude.
There is notable John figure In
the study hall of the College of Ste.
Anne de Pocatiere and the figure of
General Wolfe in niche of the Ca
madam Pacific railroad office in Que
bee is also from his chisel. But for
John the niche would be empty. The
original statue was taken by the Off
GERS of a British ship, but Quebec,
which is determined to honor Wolfe
as we'll as Montcalm, had John re-
place it.
The Toronto Art gallery has one of
his angels and it does not need to hang
it's head in the sculpture gallery beside
the masterpiece of Chinese art. 1t
also has the simplicity of greatness,
the tranquil dignity of TRANSPORTED
personal emotion.
While cigar-store Indians are be-
coming extinct, those created by Jo-
bin in his early days in the industry
are in keen demand by collectors. One
Of the masterpieces of st. Nocitine
stands today at the front door Of a
tobacconist's shop on the Rue st. Jean,
in Quebec city, where it was placed
fifty years ago. The owner has re-
fused $500 for it.
John was. humble artist, who
never talked Of art for arts sake, but
did whatever his hand found to do.
What was in demand sixty and sew
enty years ago was figureheads for
ships.
Canada was center of the wooden
shipbuilding industry. So the young
John, although he went for brief
period to New York, found more
ample scope for his talents at home.
Learned Art Young.
He has given this account of his
early life: II was born at Ponte aux
Trembles and when was very young
my father sent me to my uncle, who
was wood carver, to learn the trade.
We did big business in ships figure
heads. There were many ships and
they all wanted ornaments on the
prov and nameboard on the stern.
made dolphins and sirens and Nep.
tunes. The sign outside my shop is
Neptune, which was ordered but not
taken.
"Forty years | carved for ships,
he went on. "Then the steamers came
in and iron had no use for wood.
had long carved Indians. l also carved
the figure of notary for notary's
door in Montreal. But for years
have done mostly angels and apostles
and saints"
Johns art will not altogether die
with him. He leaves behind him q
nephew, Edouard Narcotic, trained in
his craft, and Ste. Anne, though the
great master of wood carving Is nc
more, will not be deprived of sacred
iconograply.