This watercolour, by an anonymous 18th-century artist, shows Québec City seen from the St. Lawrence River. Certain clues point to the beginning of British rule, around 1760. For example, boats fly British flags and buildings bear the scars of the Conquest.

1760 - 1791

Québec City, the maritime capital of the 18th-century

In the decades following 1760, the Province of Quebec became part of the British Empire in North America. The St. Lawrence River was the main commercial gateway to the continent. For Québec City residents, the river had become an even more important part of daily life. Often related to the import or export of goods, their work was closely linked to this waterway. For landscape artists of the period, Québec City was quite inseparable from the St. Lawrence River, which almost always appeared in their artwork. Discover a few of these magnificent works.

View of Québec City and the St. Lawrence River

Unknown This watercolour, by an anonymous 18th-century artist, shows Québec City seen from the St. Lawrence River. Certain clues point to the beginning of British rule, around 1760. For example, boats fly British flags and buildings bear the scars of the Conquest.

Chronoscope What else do you see in this piece? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1760

Source: Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1760

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