Born in Russia in 1892 to an aristocratic French family, de Grandmaison emigrated to Canada in 1923. He moved to southern Alberta and developed a strong attachment to the Aboriginal people he chose as subjects for his art.

“All the sorrow, oppression and history of their race is indelibly written on their faces. I love them as fellow brothers. They have character, color and history in their blood,” said de Grandmaison.

Nicholas de Grandmaison is renowned for his portraits of Native people, for which he was made an honorary chief of the Peigan Tribe and given the Blackfoot name of Eenuk-Sahpo’p (Little Plume).

He has been awarded the Order of Canada for his work.

His work presents the history of the Indigenous people of southern Alberta in colourful, living images.

[Credit: Alberta Sweetgrass]