Signed Edgar L. Bloomster Etching “Place D’Armes – Montréal” | Limited Edition No. 100/100 | C. 1920

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A rare & remarkable find — this is an original signed etching by American artist Edgar Leslie Bloomster (1895–1968), titled … Read more A rare & remarkable find — this is an original signed etching by American artist Edgar Leslie Bloomster (1895–1968), titled ‘Place d’Armes – Montréal’ & numbered as the final impression in an edition of 100.

Bloomster was born in Paxton, Illinois & trained at the Art Institute of Chicago & in Paris — a pedigree that shows in the confident, finely wrought linework of this piece. Before his later years became dominated by marine subjects & California coastal life, Bloomster was an active etcher working in the tradition of urban realism, capturing city scenes with an illustrator’s eye for atmosphere & architectural detail. His work is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. , making this an especially collectible acquisition for the right buyer.

The subject is Place d’Armes, one of Montréal’s most historically significant public squares — home since 1895 to the statue of Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, the city’s founder, & flanked by the landmark Notre-Dame Basilica . Bloomster renders the scene with cinematic depth: horse-drawn carriages crossing cobblestones, figures in Edwardian dress strolling the square, & the neo-Gothic façade of Notre-Dame rising dramatically in the background. It’s a frozen moment of Old Montréal at its most romantic.

Pencil inscriptions below the plate read ‘Place d’Armes – Montréal’ at lower left & ‘Ed 100’ at center — indicating this is impression number 100 of 100, the final pull of the edition. The artist’s signature appears at lower right. A secondary notation reads ‘F10083 – 13½ x 16 – Plain md,’ likely a publisher or catalog reference.

Paper dimensions are approximately 13.5” x 16” with an image area of approximately 9.75” x 12.75”.

Condition is good for age — some toning to the laid paper consistent with a century of time, which only adds to the character. Unframed & ready for a custom presentation.

A wonderful piece for collectors of Canadian urban history, printmaking, or early 20th-century American art. See less