CARLI, Alexandre (1861-1937)

Alexandre Carli was introduced to modeling sculpture by his father, Thomas Carli. He began his studies at the Conseil des arts et manufactures de Montréal in 1878 and became a professor at the school twenty years later, when Alfred Laliberté would be among his students. He held his first exhibition at the 1891 Salon of the Art Association of Montreal. One of Carli’s most impressive works is the 75-metre modeled frieze in the church of Nativité de Marie, located in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood of Montreal. Upon his father’s death in 1906, the sculptor assumed control of Maison Carli, which merged with Maison Petrucci de Montréal in 1923. The new company dominated in the manufacture of religious statuary in Quebec and remained in operation until 1972. One of Alexandre Carli’s works is currently housed at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.