Quebec: A Painting by Adam Miller

The 2017 painting Quebec by Adam Miller represents over four hundred years of Quebec history. Featuring recognizable Quebec and Canadian politicians, ordinary characters, and allegorical figures, this unusual work visualizes many of the debates surrounding the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation as well as the 375th anniversary Montreal’s founding. Bringing together a collection of commentaries on the painting and its artist, this volume contemplates the Quebec and Canadian experience and the bonds that link art and history. Included within are a reproduction of the painting, assorted detail shots, a key to the figures represented, and preparatory drawings used for the final work. Furthermore, essays by art historians Francois-Marc Gagnon and Alexandre Turgeon reflect on the painting and its style, as well as on its representation of history in relation to questions of politics, art, and collective memory. The book also contains an interview with Adam Miller conducted by Concordia professor and figurative artist David Elliott, which reveals the sources of inspiration for the piece and the artist’s creative process. A preface by the patron who commissioned the painting,Salvatore Guerrera, rounds out the contributions.