François Baillairgé

François Baillairgé (21 January 1759 – 15 September 1830) was an architect and artist with expertise in drawing, painting, carpentry, sculpture, and church decoration. Baillairgé was the first artist from Quebec City to complete his education at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in Paris, which he attended from 1779 to 1781.

Life The son of Jean Baillairgé, François began an apprenticeship in his father's shop at the age of 14. There he studied and practised woodworking, wood-carving, and architecture. His brother, Pierre-Florent, was also active as a carver and joiner in the business. He also studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec and then studied in Paris for three years, returning to Lower Canada in 1781. His training in Paris gave him a strong foundation in painting, sculpture, and architecture.

Baillairgé and his father worked together on the interior adornment of the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral. Their work included the altarpieces, baldachin, statue, throne, and altar.

Ballairgé's most notable client was Prince Edward Augustus, the father of Queen Victoria, for whom he sculpted a figurehead.

Morrin Centre, (former Quebec Prison) 1808 - 1813 Chaussée des Écossais (formerly St. Stanislas Street), Quebec City

Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal interior decoration; choir 1785–95; facade & vault decoration, 1818; demolished, 1824 Montreal

Quebec Court House 1799-1804; burned 1873 St. Louis Street, Quebec City Chateau St. Louis 1810-11; burned 1834 Quebec City

Former Trois-Rivières Prison 1816-1822 Trois-Rivières Congregationalist Chapel 1818 St. Joseph Street, Quebec City Église Saint-Roch 1811, burned 1816; rebuilt 1816–18; demolished 1914 St. Joseph Street, Quebec City Grand Allee, country residence for Joseph F. Perrault 1812 Quebec City Finlay Market 1816 Quebec City Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, Quebec City, remodeling of the facade and interior 1816 Place Royale, Quebec City

Jesuit Chapel 1818 Auteuil Street, Quebec City