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| Fresque des Québécois |
In today's blog about our Quebec trip in May, we'll show you 2 Amazing Murals (one of which was also on Amazing Race Canada) and there's a great history behind them.
We saw two amazing murals or frescoes painted on the walls of buildings in old Quebec City. One called La Fresque du Petit-Champlain and the other called La Fresque des Quebecois. Ameriquefrancaise.org provided a good background on the 2 murals we enjoyed and both of these were featured in Amazing Race Canada (which we watched), so it was cool to see them in person!
1) WHAT IS THE LA FRESQUE (FRESCOE) DES QUÉBÉCOIS?
The first of these frescoes was completed in 1999 and is located near Place Royale (it's a big square). If you go, this mural is located on the wall of Soumande House on Notre-Dame Street. The 502 square yard (420 meter squared) mural, known as the Fresque des Québécois [or Quebecers' Fresco], is the result of a joint effort by Cité Création and Quebec artists Hélène Fleury, Marie-Chantal Lachance and Pierre Laforest.
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| Samuel de Champlain and Rob |
WHAT FAMOUS PEOPLE ARE IN IT?
It depicts the history of Quebec City with key figures like founder Samuel de Champlain, and the Ursiline Nun we talked about earlier: Marie Guyart de l'Incarnation (she founded the order in Quebec). There are others, too such as Lord Dufferin and Félix Leclerc, but you'll have to look up who they were
.
WHAT LOCATIONS ARE HIGHLIGHTED?
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| A storefront part of the mural |
It also features a number of the city's most notable architectural, geographical and cultural elements, such as Place Royale's historic homes, the stairs connecting upper and lower town, the walls surrounding Old Quebec, and the city's coat of arms. Finally, the mural celebrates the various cultural communities that were and are part of life in the capital, namely Amerindians, French and British settlers, Irish immigrants, and of course contemporary Quebeckers.
2)
WHAT IS LA FRESQUE DU PETIT-CHAMPLAIN?
La Fresque du Petit-Champlain is located at 102
Petit-Champlain Street, at the western most tip of the historic lower town
district (near Place Royale). It was created in 2001 by Murale Création, a
Canadian group founded in June 2000 by French artists from Cité Création and
Quebec painters from Sautozieux Création.
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| La Fresque du Petit-Champlain |
WHAT
IS ON THE MURAL?
It depicts various stages in the history of
"Cap-Blanc," a working-class port neighborhood located on the narrow strip of
land between Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond) and the St. Lawrence River. The mural portrays the fishing
and sea trade activities that was the foundation of the area's economy.
WHO
IS ON THE MURAL?
It also includes locals, historic visitors and
fictional characters. Among those depicted in the fresco are Captain Bernier, a
Quebec explorer sent by the King of England to the North Pole; Lord Nelson, a
British officer that fell in love with a local woman and had to be dragged back
to his ship by his fellow crewmen; sail repairer Gustave Guay; and a sailor's
wife anxiously awaiting her husband's return.
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| Petit Champlain sign |
WHAT
HISTORIC EVENTS ARE ON THE MURAL?
Several major historical events that affected
the area are shown like a devastating fire in 1682, a military attack in 1759,
landslides in 1889 and a number of other disasters.
OTHER
MURALS
We did see mural called Les Fresques des Piliers, but because it was painted on the pillar
of a highway we drove past it in a cab and couldn't take a picture of it.
There are other murals in Quebec City that we didn't see,
including: La Fresque BMO de la Capitale Nationale du Québec, La Fresque de la
Bibliothèque Gabrielle-Roy [Library] and La Fresque de l'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec.
NEXT: The Breakneck Stairs and 2 Great Bakeries
