This artwork, titled “The City of Quebec from the St. Lawrence River”, is a miniature watercolour by Willard Morse Mitchell (1879–1955). It depicts Quebec City’s iconic skyline viewed from the St. Lawrence River, rendered in Mitchell’s signature small-scale style with bold, clear washes of colour and simplified architectural forms.

The scene captures the Château Frontenac prominently rising above the old city, its turrets and copper roof silhouetted against a glowing orange and yellow sky at sunset. The Citadel and Upper Town emerge on the left, their steep slopes tinted in blue and violet hues, while the harbour and waterfront buildings occupy the foreground. A large steamship, its black hull and red funnels reflected in the cool violet water, reinforces Quebec’s identity as a vital port city. Mitchell’s brushwork is tight and deliberate, with expressive yet controlled colour contrasts that evoke the crisp atmosphere of early evening along the river.

The printed label affixed to the reverse reads:

“THE CITY OF QUEBEC from the St. Lawrence River, 400 miles from the Gulf. At the left of this painting the steep slopes are shown rising to the battlemented citadel that makes this historic old city the Gibraltar of America. The high building is the famous C.P.R.’s Chateau Frontenac. This is a genuine Water Color and a hand carved frame by W.M. Mitchell.”

This label identifies the subject, authenticates the medium, and notes that both the painting and its carved wooden frame were handcrafted by Mitchell himself — a hallmark of his collectible series of miniature Canadian scenes produced in Montreal during the 1920s–1940s.

Mitchell’s miniature watercolours were intended as affordable, finely crafted souvenirs of Canadian locales. Each piece was individually painted and accompanied by a printed narrative label, which served both as description and provenance. “The City of Quebec” exemplifies Mitchell’s ability to distil Canada’s architectural and natural landmarks into compact, jewel-like compositions that combine charm, precision, and nostalgia.