L’église Saint-Enfant-Jésus du Mile-End

I’m frequently walking by this fine structure.  It faces onto a small park full of maples – that have up to now been blocking my view of the tower. I’ve been biding my time, waiting for winter to eradicate those pesky golden leaves. Finally the view that I’ve been waiting for – L’église Saint-Enfant-Jésus du Mile-End, seen through scattered branches. I’m thinking I’ll be able to get a great number of views like this in Montreal.

Anyway – wikipedia has this to say:  The church of Saint-Enfant-Jesus was inaugurated in 1857 by Bishop Bourget.

It was built by architect Victor Bourgeau and a new facade was built according to plans by Joseph Venne in 1898. She recalls, for his style, the baroque exuberance of Latin America. Indeed, over a seven-bay portico, inspired by Italian Renaissance, is one of the most exuberant carved stone facades of Quebec . Stacked in a pyramidal composition, in a delicate balance, arches, niches, pilasters, columns, medallions, and lace stone to reach the pinnacle overlooking the Baroque district.

I found the proportions of the cupola a perfect study in regular subdivision. I’ve just taken this class in comparative measurement for drawing (related to sight-size,  a more commonly heard term). It was enlightening to see how many structural lines neatly click into place in this kind of architecture.   Here’s some iphone snaps work in progress:

Amusingly enough, there was an alternative press zine and comic fair today, (Expozine) so the park was full of grunge looking fellas in black toques and fashionable young punks with usual array of facial metal.  I don’t think they were too interested in watercolorists. I was able to get a copy of Jillian Tamaki’s Gilded Lilies (which I’ve been wanting to pick it up for a while). Also ran into Salgood Sam and got a signed and remarked copy of Therefore Repent! He did neat little doodle of a dog pooping.