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Bourg-Royal was founded near Québec City in 1665. When James Pattison Cockburn visited Québec City almost 200 years later, Bourg-Royal was still a remote village. To get there, travellers had to take the road portrayed in this magnificent ink painting. The town was swallowed up into Québec City’s suburbs in the 1970s.
1829 - 1831

Touring Québec City with Major-General Cockburn

Like many army personnel, Major-General James Pattison Cockburn trained at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich, England. This institution trained military personnel in advanced artistic techniques so they could depict the places the were deployed to. When he was stationed in Québec City, from 1822 to 1823 and again from 1826 to 1832, Cockburn produced dozens of magnificent works he sketched on the spot. This album invites you to take a tour of Québec City and surrounding areas through a few of the major-general’s works.

On the road to Bourg-Royal

James Pattison Cockburn Bourg-Royal was founded near Québec City in 1665. When James Pattison Cockburn visited Québec City almost 200 years later, Bourg-Royal was still a remote village. To get there, travellers had to take the road portrayed in this magnificent ink painting. The town was swallowed up into Québec City’s suburbs in the 1970s.
Chronoscope What comments or thoughts does this image evoke for you? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1830