Temporary exhibition

Becoming Montreal – The 1800s painted by Duncan

from Jun 2, 2023 to Apr 21, 2024
McCord Stewart museum

Take a trip back in time via the remarkable watercolours of James Duncan. Chronicler of his time, artist James Duncan documented Montreal’s development over a period of five decades, from 1830 to 1880. Exhibited together for the first time, these one hundred or so works offer viewers a unique journey into 19th-century Montreal. As a sort of epilogue, Mental Maps, a digital work created by art studio Iregular uses artificial intelligence to reinterpret Duncan’s work in the form of computer-generated images depicting a composite world of dreamscapes of a Montreal that no longer exists.

Bringing together a variety of the artist’s views, the exhibition offers a vivid look at Montreal and the realities of its residents and focuses on subjects that characterize life in Canada and Montreal’s urban landscape. Visitors will explore the island through the eyes of Duncan: the changing urban skyline from key viewpoints like Mount Royal and St. Helen’s Island, newsworthy political and social events, and street scenes featuring strollers and merchants alike. 

Book

Exhibition

Temporary

Audiences

Adults
Children
Members

McCord Stewart museum

Address

McCord Stewart museum
690 Sherbrooke Street West,
Montreal, QC H3A 1E9

Regular Schedule

From Jan 1 to Jun 24
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday
10:00 - 21:00
Thursday
10:00 - 17:00
Friday
10:00 - 17:00
Saturday
10:00 - 17:00
Sunday
10:00 - 17:00
From Jun 25 to Sep 4
Monday
10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday
10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday
10:00 - 21:00
Thursday
10:00 - 17:00
Friday
10:00 - 17:00
Saturday
10:00 - 17:00
Sunday
10:00 - 17:00
From Sep 5 to Dec 31
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday
10:00 - 21:00
Thursday
10:00 - 17:00
Friday
10:00 - 17:00
Saturday
10:00 - 17:00
Sunday
10:00 - 17:00

Holidays Schedule

Oct 9
10:00 - 17:00
Dec 26
10:00 - 17:00
Jan 2
10:00 - 17:00
Mar 4
10:00 - 17:00

Facilities