Have you ever wondered what Montreal looked like a hundred years ago? How the city's buildings and street life would compare in photographs taken in two different centuries? Find out in After Notman — Photographic Views of Montreal, A Century Apart, an exhibition of photographic duos that features "then and now" images of the city's busy marketplaces, bustling streets, and restful parks — they reveal the elegance and evolution of a remarkable city.

After Notman takes as its starting point the iconic images of Notman & Sons, a leading 19th-century photography studio whose staff photographed Montreal's streets, churches, markets and ports. Dating from 1863 to 1918, each Notman & Sons image is contrasted with a photograph taken by Andrzej Maciejewski (1959- ) a contemporary photographer and practicing artist. Between 1999 and 2001, Maciejewski returned to where Notman & Sons took its original images and rephotographed each site, paying careful attention to capture the same vantage point and time of day. Intriguing views include the Montreal harbour, Jacques Cartier Square and the Windsor Hotel. 

Visitors can also take these views home, along with insightful essays and Maciejewski's reflections on each duo. A high-quality book published in partnership with Firefly Books is available through the McCord's Boutique.

The photographs featured in this exhibition also appear on-line in the virtual exhibition Urban Life Through Two Lenses.