Portrait of L. J. Marquis de Mont-Calm 1781

Jacques Barbié made this print of Louis-Joseph Marquis de Montcalm sometime after the latter’s death in 1759. As we contemplate this image, we are invited to consider the public role of art in shaping historical memory, especially in the context of the French colonial project in North America. Montcalm was a celebrated military commander who died during the Battle of Quebec. Barbié’s print immortalizes him through visual codes of honor and sacrifice. The scene below the Marquis’ portrait depicts his death, surrounded by mourning figures, suggesting martyrdom. This imagery, produced in France, would have played a key role in shaping French public perception of the war in North America. To fully understand this work, research into French colonial history and the politics of imagery in 18th-century France would be essential. This print reminds us that art is deeply embedded within social and institutional contexts, and its meaning is contingent on the forces that shape its production and reception.