The National Battlefields Commission is proud to announce its acquisition of the Jean François Leclerc Collection about Quebec City's Tricentennial. This incomparable collection has over 550 items from the 1908 festivities, which were organized by the NBC as part of its initial mandate. It is a major addition to the NBC collections and will provide the public with a look into a key moment of the history of the Plains of Abraham.
"The collector's priceless donation will contribute to the Commission's mission of showcasing the heritage of the Plains," said Jean Robert, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Commission. "I sincerely thank Jean François Leclerc for the trust he has placed in us." "We've acquired an unbelievable collection that recalls the events relating to the creation of the Commission," added Annie Talbot, the Secretary and CEO. "Our teams will preserve this collection with care to ensure its long-term perpetuation." The collector, Jean François Leclerc, is also delighted by the transfer of his collection: "Few collectors see their collections enter Canadian heritage! I'm honoured by the trust the Commission has shown in me. I've always considered it to be the appropriate institution for my collection dedicated to Quebec City's Tricentennial."
The collection includes many unique items that shed light on the grandiosity of the Tricentennial celebrations and their echo in society. One of its masterpieces is a watercolour by Charles Huot, a renowned artist-painter chosen by the Commission to design the costumes of the pageants. Made for the final pageant, this painting showed Wolfe and Montcalm's armies on the Plains of Abraham. The collection also includes two original costumes from these massive historical parades, with jackets, hats, trousers, and accessories. Another unique item consists of a brass and copper vase by metalworker Paul Beau. It was offered to the Mayor of Quebec City, George Garneau, to thank him for his great contribution to the 1908 festivities. Many items of the collection further attest to the public's participation in the celebrations, notably an album containing twenty-seven original photographs, badges representing prominent people of Quebec City, and a glass-framed souvenir poster.
To showcase this acquisition, some items from the collection will be displayed at the Plains of Abraham Museum over the weekend of September 14 and 15, 2024. The collector, Jean François Leclerc, will be on hand on September 15 at 1 p.m. to meet visitors. For the occasion, any resident of Canada will have free access to the new temporary exhibition "Québec 1775: Blizzards and Battle."
About the National Battlefields Commission
The Battlefields Park is Canada's leading national historic park, notably including the Plains of Abraham and Des Braves Park. Since 1908 the National Battlefields Commission, an agency of the Canadian government, has striven to preserve and develop this site that brings so many people together. All year long, it offers a variety of activities for those who wish to explore the park and its history.
