Gezicht op Québec en Lévis before 1894

Jules-Ernest Livernois captured this view of Québec and Lévis in a photograph whose date remains unknown. In it, we see the Parliament Building and Saint-Louis Gate and Chapel, all rendered in careful detail that speaks to the way institutional and religious architecture dominated the cultural landscape of Québec. Livernois was part of a family of photographers in Québec City, and their work often documented the growth of the city and the presence of important civic buildings. Note, though, that this image is not a neutral record, but rather a composed photograph, which emphasizes the importance of religious and governmental institutions in the landscape. What values are being promoted through this kind of composition? What other aspects of the city are being left out? Historians look at photographs like this in conjunction with other sources, such as city planning documents, religious records, and personal papers, to build a more complex understanding of what Québec and Lévis were like during Livernois's time.