Paul-Emile Borduas was born on november 1 1905 in Saint-Hilaire. His formation started by working for the painter and decorator of churches Odias Leduc. He inscribes himself at Montreal’s school of fine arts. After being a drawing teacher he goes to Europe in 1927 where he works as an assistant for the decoration of a few churches in France. In 1939, he participates with John Lyman at the foundation of the Contemporary art society and also becomes vice-president. In 1942, during a group exposition at the Séminaire de Joliette, he presents his first tryouts on non-figurative painting. He rights 6 years later, le Refus Global, a manifest in witch he denounces the forces of oppression that made Quebec a place of resistance and hostility for creative art. In 1952, the Montreal museum of fine arts organized an exposition of his work. He then on went to the U-S and in France where he painted his compositions in black and white. He dies in 1960. He had received the Jessie Dow prize in 1949. He also received a Guggenheim prize. In 1977, the government of Quebec gave his name at the highest distinction of Quebec in the arts category.