History tells us that New France was founded during the age of the great European discoveries in the 16th century. Anyone meandering the streets of Quebec from August 1 to 5 would have been thrown back in time a few hundred years to discover for themselves some of the everyday activities that occurred in New France at that time.

In the early 20th century, Paris was considered the artistic capital of the western world wahere art had become more a product of the mind and less the representation of what is perceived by the senses.

Individualism became more and more important and thus one witnessed a variety of new trends.

Photo: MNBAQ

Note:  The exhibition, Au Pays des Merveilles:  Les Aventures surrealists des femmes artistes au Mexique et aux Etats-Unis, presently at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, in of such importance that it has to be taken into account in more than one commentary.

Photo: Nicola-Franl Vachon, Perspective

Those of us whose knowledge of Japanese art is limited to Chinese inspired Zen ink paintings may be surprised by the lavishness of Samurai armor and helmets.  The fact is that by the time the power came into the hands the military leaders: shoguns and daimyos, this audaciously simplified and monochrome style of painting was combined with the Japanese Yamato-e paintings which emphasized gorgeou