PROVENANCE
Continental Galleries of Fine Art, Montreal
Mr. G. Drummond and Mrs. Anne Birks, Montreal
By descent to the present Private Collection, Montreal

This Quebec City scene, painted from the Rue des Glacis, offers a unique viewpoint over the Haute-Ville (Upper Town) towards Lévis, across the St. Lawrence River. Robert Pilot captures here a tranquil moment in Quebec City, adorned in its vibrant fall foliage. The composition is rich with details, especially in the architectural features, and includes a few figures strolling by and sitting in the grass, showcasing the city’s urban life. As he was born a generation after the early Canadian Impressionists, Pilot is often considered the last Canadian Impressionist painter. In addition to studying at the Académie Julian in Paris, he had as his stepfather the great Impressionist Maurice Cullen, who certainly provided guidance and inspiration. In the tradition of Impressionism, Pilot aptly captures moody atmospheres through soft touches of paint, and Quebec from the Glacis is no exception. Diffuse light is filtered through billowy clouds, casting a gossamer haze over the scene. This lively cityscape is a quintessential Impressionist work by Pilot.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars