Portrait painting was very popular in Quebec. The style served to show an individual's status in society and the extent of his or her wealth. Most frequently it was the rich who had their pictures painted. During the peirod of 1780 to 1820, there was special attention given to portrait painting in Quebec, and coincidentally, it was during this period that artists prospered a great deal. People paid quite a sum for portraits, and, therefore, the business became quite lucrative. By 1840, a trend developed in portrait painting which opened up the genre quite a bit; more backgrounds, often landscapes, were painted in the picture, which added life, and creativity to the works. The space around the subject was as important, if not more important, as the human subject itself.
BitRUSH WEB DESIGN GROUP, 1996