Présences du littéraire dans l’espace public canadien

This massive cycle of five stained-glass works is composed of more than 1,200 pieces of glass. The first panel depicts the river and the island's forest, along with an inhabitant of the village of Hochelaga and two French colonists; in the centre, the arms of the city; and to the right, the Monastère des Récollets. The second panel depicts, on the left, a street scene with people in typical early 19th-century dress; an inset shows tools used by artisans of the period. On the right is the Seminary, the oldest extant building in Montreal. The central panel features the most prominent figures in the work: Jacques Viger and Peter McGill, first and second mayors of Montreal. The subject of Peter McGill was imposed by the City (even though the station is named for James McGill, the founder of the university); Sollogoub decided to add Viger as well. To the left of the mayors are shown several newspapers of the period; to the right, we see banknotes and scenes of industry and commerce. The last panel is devoted to the Lachine Canal and its industry, especially the Grand Trunk Railway. In the foreground we see the various types of boats that have plied the Rapids and the Canal: canoes, sail vessels, and steamships. Behind we see a Grand Trunk train; in the background is a cityscape with factories (including that of the sponsor of the work) and the mountain.