Before icebreakers arrived in the 20th century, the immense expanse of the St. Lawrence River in front of Québec City would freeze over every winter. The city would then be cut off from international shipping for many months. In town, however, people carried on with their activities. They would cross the river, either by canoe over floating mounds of ice or on the ice bridge, depending on conditions. All around Québec City, rivers and frozen waterfalls offered an extraordinary spectacle. These magnificent winter landscapes are revealed through 19th-century artworks.
Cornelius Krieghoff
This piece captures a now-disappeared profession: that of the ice seller. After the Conquest, ice was harvested directly from nearby rivers. First established around 1850, the ice industry soon became indispensable to Québec City residents. The ice was used to preserve food in homes and on ships and trains.
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