| Marie-Madeleine de Vignerot (1604-1675) was the niece of the powerful Cardinal de Richelieu, who secured the title of duchess for her. She helped finance the founding of the Hôtel-Dieu in Québec City in 1639 and the bringing of nuns to the colony to care for the sick. At the bottom of the print, the engraver praises her beauty and purity. That she is portrayed riding a horse, a pose usually reserved for prominent men, denotes her position of power and independence. Engraving
C-118168 |