Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Art I'm Seeing #34


lerevedechamplain
Originally uploaded by Randuwa
In honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec, the Canadian Embassy is hosting a wonderful little exhibition of maps, prints, and manuscripts. "Champlain's Dream/Le rĂªve de Champlain" features artifacts from the John Carter Brown library based in Rhode Island. To look at maps drawn over 400 years ago is to discover and admire an art form rarely presented for public consideration.

The exhibit retains a wonderfully Canadian point of view, with many references to "flawed" American players, and "undisciplined" American troops and leaders as it traces the history from Champlain's monumental explorations to the Battle of Quebec more than a century after Champlain's death.

This was my first visit inside the Canadian Embassy, the most prominent foreign outpost in the capital with it's unique assymetrical neo-classic/post-modern style. I don't think it will be my last.

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