Shared Memories | View of Cape Diamant, from Travels through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada during the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797

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 Cape Diamant, from Travels through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada during the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797

Unknown, after Isaac Weld

In the 1790s, Isaac Weld, a young Irish aristocrat, travelled to Canada and the United States. He sought to identify areas where large numbers of Irish immigrants could eventually settle. His journey took him to Québec City. This engraving was made from his description of his visit.

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