He was educated at archbishop school, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the national superior École des Beaux-Arts of Paris.

Joseph-Émile Brunet sculpted the bas reliefs and ornamental façade of the Gérard-Morisset building, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in Quebec City which depict historical scenes and events in Canadian History:[1] "Fishing", "Fur Trading", "Maple Sugar Making", "Farming", "Logging", "Missionaries", "Landing Immigrates", "Buffalo Hunt"," Jacques Cartier"," Death of Wolfe"," Death of Montcalm","William Dollard", "Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye" and "The First Settlers".

He sculpted a bronze War Memorial at Longueuil, Quebec (1924) in front of the city hall just across the river from Montreal.

He sculpted the Canadian Pavilion for the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in Paris which included a 28 foot (8.5 m) sculpture of a bison (1937) and panels on the outside of the structure.

Mr. Joseph-Émile Brunet designed twenty-four capitals (1948) for the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, which depict 52 religious subjects reflecting the life of Jesus.