CÔTÉ Jean-Baptiste
Jean-Baptiste Côté also drew cartoons under the pen name “Grosperin”.
Born 1834 in Québec City.
He is primarily known as a renowned wood sculpture of statues, religious scenes and the figure-heads for ships, but he was also Francophone Canada’s first cartoonist. In his youth he served as an apprentice architect and carver. However, in 1863, he founded and became editor, writer and cartoonist of a satirical weekly called La Scie [The Saw] which lasted about five years. It was relentless in its attacks on prominent Québec figures. Finally his portrayal of a Québec civil servant’s typical day resulted in his being thrown in jail. The publication of La Scie ended, and Côté returned to wood carving.
He died in Québec in 1907.
SOURCE:
Article book:
The Hecklers. Writ. & Ed.., Peter Desbarates & Terry Mosher. McClelland & Stewart Ltd., 1979: 234.