By André Bourgault; Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec; ca. 1930; painted wood; 223 x 200 x 16 cm. CMC 78-408

To inform the public, the traditional craftsman generally hung on his shop a sign illustrating one aspect or another of his craft. Made of painted wood, this sign decorated the Bourgault sculptors' shop in about the 1930's, and then served as an advertisement for an antique store. It illustrates a common scene of earlier days, the checker game. The lifelike quality of the figures and the quiet humour of the scene make it a most appealing work. It bears the signature of André Bourgault.