OTTAWA — Two paintings by Quebec artist Alfred Pellan are back on display in the Lester B. Pearson building, four years after the Conservatives removed them to make room for a portrait of the Queen.
The works, which had hung above the front desk since 1973, were removed at the request of former foreign affairs minister John Baird in July 2011, just prior to the visit of Prince William and his wife, Kate.
They were replaced by a portrait of the Queen, ruffling the feathers of some who work at the building, which houses the federal Foreign Affairs department — newly re-christened by the Liberals as Global Affairs Canada.
The removal of the masterpieces was panned by others as well at the time — everyone from art aficionados to anti-monarchists to Quebec politicians.
The two large Pellan paintings — "Canada West" and "Canada East" — were back in place today.
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement that it was "entirely appropriate that we take every opportunity to showcase the best of Canadian culture in all of our government installations."
The removal of the Queen's portrait should not be interpreted as a lack of respect for the monarchy, Dion added.
The Conservative government said in 2011 that the Queen's portrait was to pay tribute to Canada's head of state as she was preparing to celebrate her 50th year on the throne.
"The (Pellan) paintings were present in this prominent location when Queen Elizabeth opened the building in 1973 and I am certain that she would not be disappointed in any way to see them returned as a fitting symbol of Canadian history and culture," Dion said.
Global Affairs, meanwhile, said the Pellan works we were originally commissioned for the first Canadian mission in Brazil for its opening in 1944, painted by Pellan upon his return from Paris and the Second World War.
Pellan, who died in 1988, is considered a pivotal figure in bringing modern art to Canada.
A federal electoral riding is named after him in Laval, north of Montreal.
