Portrait of Jean Teillet


Title: Portrait of Jean Teillet
Creator: Gabriel Dumont Institute, Christi Belcourt
Subject: Gabriel Dumont Institute, Great Métis of My Time, Christi Belcourt, Jean Teillet
Description: Gabriel Dumont Institute has acquired Great Métis of My Time, a series of paintings by Métis artist Christi Belcourt. This powerful evocative series of artwork will be housed at the Gabriel Dumont Institute in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Institute is very honoured to be able to add this series to the Institute’s permanent collection. The paintings include five portraits of famous Métis: Steve Powley, Harry Daniels, Maria Campbell, Tony Belcourt, and Jean Teillet. In addition, the collection also includes four complementary pieces including a “coat” for Harry Daniels, a “bandolier bag” for Steve Powley, as well as two other pieces which celebrate the Métis’ beading, and embroidery tradition. As the artist writes about the series:

“The Great Métis of My Time project is a series of nine paintings that through exhibition are intended to bring awareness of Métis history, Métis traditional art and Métis contemporary issues to a public audience. The paintings, produced in acrylic on canvas, portray the stories and the lives of five prominent Métis individuals whose determination to seek justice for Métis rights have changed the course of history for the Métis Nation in modern times.”

For further background information about these paintings, please visit the artist’s website at www.christibelcourt.com.

Portrait of Jean Teillet, 2006
36” x 48”
Acrylic on canvas

Jean Teillet is a Métis lawyer who was lead counsel for Steve Powley during the landmark Supreme Court ruling (Powley ruling) that awarded Métis with Aboriginal harvesting rights across the Métis Homeland. She is also the great-grand niece of Louis Riel, and a visual artist. Ms. Teillet has been strong advocate for the rights of Métis people and active in Métis politics as among other things, a founding member of the Métis Nation of Ontario.


Publisher: Gabriel Dumont Institute
Type: Image
Date of Copyright: April 16, 2009
GDI Media Filename: Teillet [1024x768].jpg

Related Categories

Category Belcourt, Christi