Stepping Out Of Austen

The Last Of The Hurons Of Lorette is the title of this 1838 painting by Antoine Plamadon, a Quebec artist whose work caught the eye of the Canadian governor-general of the time, Lord Durham. The subject was known to white men as Zacharie Vincent, and he was an artist himself, doing a series of self portraits afterwards.

Paul Kane spent time in the West, depicting landscapes and First Nations peoples in his art that would follow. Fort Garry and St. Boniface depicts the site of what would become the city of Winnipeg, painted circa 1851-52, several years after his time there. 

Kane also painted this. Big Snake, Chief Of The Blackfoot Indians, Recounting His War Exploits To Five Subordinate Chiefs is the title of this painting, done between 1851-56.

White Mud Portage, Winnipeg River is another Kane work, dating back to the same period and done, as was much of his work, from sketchbooks he'd done while in the area years earlier.

These were in a display case close by. Panel bags, done either by Metis or Western Cree artists in the latter 19th century.

The Croscup Room is a painted room by an unknown artist in 1845, decorating the interior of a room in the house. The room is preserved in the Gallery.

Mrs. John Beverly Robinson is the title of this 1845 oil painting by George T. Berthon, depicting a young woman who looks like she's just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel.