Paint

French Jesuit missionary Barthélemy Vimont (1594-1667), arrived in New France in 1629, then returned to France, returning to Québec City on the same ship as Marie de l’Incarnation in 1639. He served as superior of Quebec for six years, mainly at Sillery, where he took care of the First Nations on this reserve, and was present at the founding of Montreal in 1642. The scene evokes the moment of the city’s consecration, when “Montreal was founded” on May 18, 1642, and historian Dollier de Casson reports that Father Vimont had these prophetic words: “what you see is only a mustard seed, but it is thrown by hands so pious and animated by the spirit of faith and religion, that no doubt heaven must have great designs since it makes use of such workers; and I make no doubt that this little seed will not produce a great tree, one day do wonders, be multiplied and spread out on all sides. ” Executed spontaneously and probably without preliminary sketches or retouching, the painting demonstrates the artist’s unique style.