Victoria statue vandalized
The statue of Queen Victoria at McGill was vandalized with red paint last week, not for the first time. The perpetrators apologized for not having been able to bring the statue down as they did with the Macdonald statue in Place du Canada.
We have so few statues of prominent women that I will be sorry to see the 21st-century zeitgeist cause the removal of the Victoria statues, but I realize they will have to go. The only others I know of are mythological beings like the Virgin Mary and the rather splendid Athena statue in Park Ex. Am I forgetting any?
Clément 10:06 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
There are these ones in Quebec City.
Clément 10:16 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
I continued browsing the site and found this other one.
But overall, a meager harvest.
Kate 10:21 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
There are two I forgot: the Marguerite Bourgeoys statue down near the Palais de Justice, and a small Jeanne-d’Arc in front of the Union Française building, but you could make a case that Jeanne is at least semi-mythical.
Clément 10:36 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
Speaking of mythical or fictitious heroes, there’s also a statue honouring Maria Chapdelaine (famous 1913 novel by Louis Hémon) in Péribonka, Lac Saint-Jean.
It’s called “Femme et Terre”. Probably NSFW
Kate 10:40 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
Jeez, Clément.
Martin 11:01 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
In the Parc Laurier, there’s a statue of Queen Isabella of Castile (on Laurier and Christophe-Colomb, natch).
Matthew H 11:22 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
There’s also the Émilie Gamelin statue at Berri-UQAM.
Kate 11:33 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
Here’s Martin’s Queen Isabella. There’s also a small stone monument to Isabella in Macdonald Park, facing Isabella Avenue, in Snowdon, but no representation of her.
Matthew H, yes, there is, thank you. Since the statue’s inside the metro edicule I’d put it out of my mind.
Now that I think of it, isn’t it time we banished Columbus, Isabella and their colonization project from the public sight? Their time will come.
CE 12:00 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
There’s the Jeanne Mance statue at Hôtel Dieu and she’s also on the Maisonneuve statue in Place d’Armes.
Kate 12:00 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
OK, we’re not doing so badly for representations of women around town. Thanks all!
I notice Jeanne Mance is not listed under that name on the city’s own public art website. Odd.
CE 12:05 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
I wonder if we have more statues and monuments dedicated to women because of how many nuns we would have had over the years doing community work.
Kate 12:13 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
CE, that’s a good point.
Ephraim 12:15 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
The thing is, it’s hard to find someone that is without sin. Bourgeoys helped to found the Congregation of Notre Dame that was directly associated with the Society of Notre-Dame of Montréal for the Conversion of the Savages of New France. In fact, anyone who was a member of the church in France came for the purpose of conversion.
mblack 07:20 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
Not a statue per se but I love seeing this sculpture on Sherbrooke St. when I pass by…https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/89415/en-photo-emily-carr-est-de-retour
GC 08:31 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
I didn’t know about that Athena statue, but it looks cool. Will check it out soon.
Orr 00:06 on 2021-03-30 Permalink
The large but temporary outdoor sculpture MBAM exhibition along Sherbrooke street a few summers ago had a magnificent 5 metre tall Nana sculpture (“Nana Danseuse”) by Niki de Saint Phalle.
While it was not a specific woman of historical importance, it definitely recognizes the importance of women in a big and glorious way.