Lorne Bouchard’s St. Louis Gate, Quebec City is a lively sepia ink and wash drawing of one of Quebec City’s most recognizable historic landmarks. The composition looks down the street toward the arched gateway, with its towers, steep rooflines and masonry walls suggested through quick, economical lines. Bouchard gives the architecture enough detail to identify the scene clearly, while leaving much of the paper open, creating a bright, airy impression.

The drawing is animated by small figures moving through the street and beneath the arch. A darkly dressed figure in the lower right provides a strong foreground accent, balancing the lighter architectural forms behind. Bare trees rise along the right side of the composition, their sweeping branches echoing the curve of the gate and adding movement to the scene.

The work has the immediacy of an on-the-spot sketch, but also a strong sense of design. Bouchard’s selective use of darker wash, especially in the foreground figure, windows and archway, gives depth and contrast to an otherwise delicate view of Old Quebec.