The Ceramic Phase
Information obtained from the artist's diary
 

In 1938-39, Jacques Béchard was frequently commissioned by politician Paul Gouin to add artistic flair to his residence in the chic city of Westmount. Gouin invited the young artist to decorate glass windows with painted scenes, create large-scale artworks (see studies on this page​) - one depicting the twelve months, the other illustrating means of transportation, and even embellish the bathrooms with imaginative murals featuring mermaids, Neptune, seashells, stylized fish, and a ceiling fresco of a swan.

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Beyond these painted works, Gouin envisioned household ceramics that would serve as whimsical conversation pieces.

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On April 13, 1939, Gouin commissioned an initial series of ceramic items, each reinterpreted with Béchard's creative touch:

• Salt and pepper shakers – a man and woman, each holding a bucket to contain the seasoning;

• Mustard bowl – designed in the shape of a well.

All pieces were brought to life at Hutchison & Frère, a ceramic workshop tucked behind rue Mentana in Montreal. Over five years, this atelier became a hub of creative energy. Béchard sculpted clay prototypes, then painted each design for Gouin’s approval. Upon confirmation, the studio produced the final pieces under the artist's supervision.

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By April 19, pleased with the results, Gouin requested more:

• Butter dish – a cow standing before a fence

• Cheese bell (featured below) – six lambs, a ewe, a little girl, a barn, and a house adorned with decorative elements.                                                                                                                         

One week later, Gouin expanded the collection:

• Fruit bowl (compotier) – a basket of strawberries;

• Small dinner bell – no description recorded.

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On April 26, Béchard worked on the butter dish, cheese bell, and compotier at the Hutchison workshop. The next day, Gouin requested:

• Two bottle-shaped figurines – one for gin, one for whisky (one featured below)

• Two flower vases – one shaped like an accordion, the other a violin. 

 

By May 3, the artist had completed all four pieces. Gouin approved only the violin, citing dissatisfaction with the color palettes of the others. Revised versions received approval on May 4, and were delivered to Hutchison’s studio. The work now involved five collaborators: the Hutchison brothers, Mr. Gérard (ceramist and art teacher), a young student in her second year at the School of Fine Arts, and Umberto Bruni, a graduate of the same school.

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On May 6, Béchard returned to the studio to refine details. More commissions followed:

• Cookie tray – a cage raft

• Mayonnaise bowl – a rowboat

• Match holders – shaped like canoes, each with a male or female figure sitting in the canoe.

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By June 6, Gouin expanded his order once again:

• Six napkin rings – including ducks and ducklings, hens and chicks, two large fish, two small fish, butterflies and pansies, and two doves with flowers;

• Towel holder – two frogs clutching a cattail;

• Floor ashtray – a standing dog holding a dish (see sketch below from Animals sketchbook);

• Four small ashtrays – shaped like a bird’s nest, a pine tree, a four-leaf clover, and two hands.

 

Gouin’s final request included four doorstops: a crowing rooster, a hen, a rabbit, and a piglet.

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As both a painter and illustrator, Béchard began with detailed drawings that guided the form and proportion of each ceramic piece. He selected stoneware clay, consistent with Hutchison’s low-fire ceramic tradition, to sculpt the prototypes. From these, plaster molds were made for slip casting. The final firing, glazing, and finishing were executed by the atelier with Béchard closely overseeing the results. Throughout, his process balanced artistic ingenuity with the practical constraints of ceramic production—ensuring each creation was not only visually engaging but perfectly functional.a