This miniature watercolour by Willard Morse Mitchell (1879–1955) depicts The Seminary of the Sulpicians on Notre Dame Street in Montreal, one of the city’s most historic religious institutions. The work is accompanied by its original printed label on the reverse, identifying the subject and authenticating both the painting and its hand-carved frame.

The painting shows the stately stone façade of the Sulpician Seminary, one of Montreal’s oldest surviving buildings, established in the late 17th century. Mitchell captures the grand, fortress-like architecture with its warm ochre tones and rhythmic rows of small windows. The winter setting is animated by a horse-drawn sleigh gliding along the snow-covered street, the passengers warmly dressed and wrapped in bright red blankets—a recurring motif in Mitchell’s miniature Quebec scenes.

Leafless trees rise behind the stone walls, their slender branches reaching into a soft pastel sky of pink and blue, evoking the serenity of a calm winter day. The precise brushwork, delicate washes, and carefully balanced colour palette reflect Mitchell’s ability to suggest architectural solidity and atmospheric light within a remarkably small format.

The original printed label reads:

“THE SEMINARY of the SULPICIAN on Notre Dame Street, Montreal, P.Q.

A branch of this Order was founded in Montreal in 1657 and in 1663 the whole Island of Montreal was ceded to this order.

The foundation of the Seminary was laid in 1685.
This water color and hand carved frame is the work of Willard M. Mitchell.”

The label provides essential historical context, noting that the Sulpician Order, which arrived in Montreal in 1657, played a pivotal role in the city’s development and religious education. It also verifies Mitchell’s authorship and craftsmanship, as he both painted the scene and carved its wooden frame by hand.

Mitchell’s miniature watercolours, produced mainly during the 1920s–1940s in Montreal, were intended as artistic souvenirs celebrating Canada’s architectural and cultural landmarks. The Seminary of the Sulpicians exemplifies his approach: meticulous architectural detail paired with an inviting, nostalgic atmosphere. Through this small yet elegant piece, Mitchell captures not only the historic grandeur of the seminary but also the quiet rhythm of life along old Notre Dame Street in wintertime Montreal.