Mont Royal - Ville Marie : Early Plans and Views of Montreal

From as early as the seventeenth century, Montreal was the subject of numerous drawings and watercolours. The area was initially mapped by French surveyors and later depicted in the British topographical tradition by artists and military officers whose training included instruction in draughtsmanship. Taken from a variety of collections in addition to the McCord's, these examples of plans and views provide a fascinating cross section of the range of styles of representation until the 1850s and the advent of photography as well as illustrating the growth of Montreal from a fur trade settlement into a metropolitan centre. Each illustration is thoroughly documented and its historical and stylistic context is analysed. Biographical information on the artists is also included.