Lot 94
CAPTAIN GEORGE ST. VINCENT WHITMORE
Provenance:
Private Collection, England.
Literature:
Eva Major-Marothy, Archivaria, 29, Winter, 1989-90, pages 168-172, for an article entitled Captain George St. Vincent Whitmore: A Newly Discovered Military Artist
Note:
The occurrence of “northern lights” in Quebec City on January 25, 1837 was so extraordinary that detailed descriptions celebrating the event filled the local newspapers. One article described a “gorgeous canopy in the heavens” which is clearly visible in this lot. In 1987, the National Archives of Canada acquired a watercolour by Captain Whitmore (1798-1851) of the Royal Engineers entitled Aurora Borealis, Quebec dated January 25, 1837 (Fig. 1: C-131918).
Whitmore arrived in Quebec during August, 1835 and in 1837 was in charge of putting Quebec City into a state of defence after the news of the first uprising in November of that year and commanded several militia regiments during the rebellion.