Continental Galleries, Montréal

Corporate Collection, Québec

Joyner's Auction, 2012

Winter Light on Old Quebec

This oil on canvas by John Little, titled Rue Laval, Quartier Latin, Québec and painted in 1968, brilliantly captures the historic charm of the old capital. The composition presents a descending winter perspective where the typical, closely spaced facades of the Quartier Latin stand side by side. Little uses his mastery of shades of white, gray, and brown to bring out the texture of the snow, churned up by foot traffic and the harsh climate. The silhouettes of pedestrians in the foreground bring a touch of life and spontaneous movement to this neighborhood scene.

Although John Little is famous for his chronicles of Montreal's alleyways, his forays into Quebec City are among his most poetic works:

The Preservation of the Quartier Latin: Located in Old Quebec, near the Old Seminary, the Quartier Latin is an area steeped in European history. In 1968, as Quebec was undergoing the Quiet Revolution and rapidly modernizing, Little focused on capturing the integrity of this centuries-old architectural heritage on canvas. His rigor as a former architectural draftsman is evident in the balance of vanishing lines and the respect for the proportions of the old buildings.