Introducing the John Little Archive on Facebook and Instagram
We are pleased to announce the launch of the official John Little Archive social media pages—now live on Instagram and Facebook.
We are pleased to announce the launch of the official John Little Archive social media pages—now live on Instagram and Facebook.
These new platforms celebrate the life and legacy of John Little (1928–2024), one of Canada’s most beloved urban painters. Best known for his vivid portrayals of mid-century Montreal and Quebec City, Little’s work captures the character of the city’s architecture, street life, and neighbourhoods—often just before they were changed forever.
But what many don’t know is that John Little was also a meticulous photographer, maintaining a private archive of thousands of photographs, sketches, and street-level observations throughout his career.
What You’ll Find on the Archive Pages
Our new pages bring this remarkable archive to light for the first time. We’ll be posting regularly under themes like:
Archival Photographs: Images from the artist’s personal files, used as reference material for his paintings.
“Then & Now” Comparisons: Side-by-side views of historical photos and the John Little paintings they inspired.
From the Sketchbook: Early pencil studies and preliminary drawings, some with handwritten notes.
Block-by-Block Features: Paintings and photos tied to specific regions or neighbourhoods
Join the Conversation
Our hope is that these pages will become a community. We encourage you to follow along, share stories, and tag friends or family who might recognize the buildings, blocks, or businesses that appear in these posts.
Follow Us
📍 Instagram: @JohnLittleArchive
📍 Facebook: John Little Archive
Whether you grew up in Montreal or simply admire its history and architecture, we welcome you to explore the city as seen through the artist’s eye.
Preview from John Little: Montreal’s Heritage in Paint
The exhibition is organized by the Montreal unique neighborhoods, offering a unique glimpse into Montreal's past, showcasing Little's unparalleled commitment to documenting and preserving the city's architectural and social heritage.
John Little devoted his career to preserving the architectural heritage of Montréal. However, not much is known of him, Little having refused throughout his life to take part in interviews and exhibitions. From St. Henri to the Plateau-Mont-Royal, his paintings preserve the richness of urban life during the 1950s and the 1960s.
The exhibition is organized by the Montreal unique neighborhoods, offering a unique glimpse into Montreal's past, showcasing Little's unparalleled commitment to documenting and preserving the city's architectural and social heritage.
Ville Marie
Golden Square Mile, Old Montreal, The Village, Les Faubourgs, Centre-Sud
Ville-Marie encompasses a vast area of downtown Montreal and includes neighbourhoods that have faced dramatically different fates.
In Old Montreal, preservation efforts protected historic streets and architecture, leading to a vibrant revival. Les Faubourgs and Centre-Sud, once dense working-class districts, were partially demolished, displacing thousands of residents and permanently altered the urban landscape. In the Golden Square Mile, traces of its affluent past remain scattered among the financial core and modern developments.
In the 1960s, Sherbrooke Street became a focal point for Montreal’s competing visions for the future. While parts of the Golden Square Mile were preserved as emblems of Montreal’s architectural grandeur, other stretches saw the loss of row houses and greystone mansions. The tension between development and heritage on Sherbrooke St. reflected broader debates about preservation and progress during a pivotal era of transformation for Montreal.
The Exhibition
John Little: Montreal’s Heritage in Paint as the exhibition continues until September 28, 2025. For all inquiries, contact Craig Klinkhoff at 514-817-3170 or craig@klinkhoff.art
Château Ramezay - Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
280 Notre-Dame Street East
Montréal QC H2Y 1C5
Phone: (514) 861-3708
An Evening to Remember: VIP Reception for John Little: Montreal’s Heritage in Paint
Last night, we had the pleasure of welcoming collectors, supporters, and friends of the Château Ramezay for a special reception to celebrate John Little: Montreal’s Heritage in Paint, the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to the beloved Montréal-born painter.
Last night, we had the pleasure of welcoming collectors, supporters, and friends of the Château Ramezay for a special reception to celebrate John Little: Montreal’s Heritage in Paint, the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to the beloved Montréal-born painter.
Set within the historic walls of the Château Ramezay, the evening offered distinguished guests an exclusive opportunity to enjoy the exhibition alongside archival materials from the artist’s studio.
We were honoured to be joined by members of the Little family, including Roger Little, and several of the private collectors who generously lent works to the exhibition. I also want to extend my deepest thanks to museum director, André Delisle, whose vision brought this project to life; Christine Brisson and the Château Ramezay team for their tireless coordination; and to Lillian Dumbrille and Ariela Alperstein for their dedicated work organizing the studio archives.
It was heartening to see so many familiar faces come together to celebrate an artist who quietly, but powerfully, documented the changing face of Montréal over the course of his lifetime.
Thank you to everyone who attended — your presence made the evening truly special.
We look forward to welcoming the public as the exhibition continues until September 28, 2025.
For all inquiries, contact Craig Klinkhoff at 514-817-3170 or craig@klinkhoff.art
The first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to the Montréal-born painter John Little (1928–2024)
The exhibition features 28 artworks from 14 private collections, along with preparatory material from the artist’s studio archives.
June 20 – September 28, 2025
Château Ramezay, Montréal, Québec — From June 20 to September 28, 2025, the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to renowned Montréal-born painter John Little (1928–2024) will be on view at Château Ramezay. Widely regarded as one of Canada’s foremost urban artists, Little devoted his life to capturing and preserving Montréal’s architectural heritage through art. Despite his achievements, Little remained an intensely private figure, declining interviews and exhibition opportunities throughout his career.
Image © Château Ramezay
From the streets of St. Henri to Plateau-Mont-Royal, Little’s paintings vividly depict the spirit and daily life of Montréal during the 1950s and 1960s. Today, these works serve as invaluable visual archives, as many of the buildings and neighbourhoods he portrayed have since vanished. His art remains a poignant testament to the loss of historic districts across North America. In a 1961 interview with Maclean’s Magazine, Little lamented the city’s ongoing demolition of heritage buildings, remarking:
“If we knock down all our old buildings… we’ll become a people without a past.”
The Exhibition
Curated by Craig Klinkhoff, this landmark exhibition brings together 28 artworks from 14 private collections, alongside preparatory materials drawn from the artist’s studio archives. Visitors will experience Little’s vibrant palette, iconic winter scenes, and the unmistakable charm of Montréal’s urban landscape. With each painting and archival photograph, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on Montréal’s past — and perhaps to recognize a beloved street corner or forgotten memory.
Media Contact:
Craig Klinkhoff
craig@klinkhoff.art
Château Ramezay - Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
280 Notre-Dame Street East
Montréal QC H2Y 1C5
Phone: (514) 861-3708
John Little Bus Tour of Montréal
"John Little: Montreal's Heritage in Paint," the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to urban artist John Little (1928-2024). This tour guides you through Montreal's historic neighborhoods like Ville-Marie, Le Centre-Sud, and Griffintown, showcasing Little's unique realist paintings that visually preserve the city's vanishing urban fabric before and during the sweeping forces of urban renewal. Discover his significant historical records, from Rue Lagauchetière to Gleason's Snackbar, offering a reintroduction to an artist who profoundly shaped our visual memory of Montreal.
May 24, 2025
For over six decades, John Little painted Montreal's historic neighborhoods, documenting them with remarkable integrity and skill, always painting them as they appeared before they were reshaped by urban renewal. His work provides a poignant window into the working-class life and unique architectural character that were often lost to demolition.
GM New Look 1973 (14-008) outside Montréal’s City Hall, across from Château Ramezay.
This unique tour, which took place on May 24, 2025 followed in Little's footsteps aboard an original STCUM GM New Look 1973 bus, visiting the locations that inspired his paintings. The tour was designed to complement the first-ever museum exhibition devoted to Little and bring his art to life.
The tour explored neighbourhoods like Ville Marie, including Old Montreal and Les Faubourgs, the Golden Square Mile, and Griffintown in Centre-Sud. It focused on what has changed and reflect on the value of preserving our visual history.
At each stop, guests were offered a glimpse into the Montreal of the 1950s and 60s, as seen through Little's eyes, and connect these historical locations to the works presented at the Château Ramezay and archival material from Little’s studio.
John Little: Montreal’s Heritage in Paint
On View from June 20 - September 28 at Château Ramezay - Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
This tour was organized in collaboration with the Fondation de l'héritage du transport en commun du Québec (FHTCQ).
The foundation's main mission is to preserve the transit history of the province of Quebec, mostly by restoring buses that are significant to the province transit history.
Château Ramezay - Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
280 Notre-Dame Street East
Montréal QC H2Y 1C5
Phone: (514) 861-3708