This larger-than-life likeness of Jean Drapeau perpetuates the image of the public figure addressing his constituents and interlocutors with a characteristic gesture in which his arms and hands punctuate his speech. The presence of this monument in front of the Ville de Montréal city hall underlines the close connection that the mayor wove between Montréalers and the municipal administration for more than 30 years – from 1954 to 1957 and from 1960 to 1986. The statue is set at ground level, ready to welcome visitors, as Drapeau often did during his many years as mayor of Montréal. His glasses firmly placed, a smile on the corner of his lips, the Jean Drapeau of the 1970s is portrayed here, probably as he explains a project to passersby who have come to see him. In the creation of this very realistic artwork, Montréal artist Annick Bourgeau drew on abundant photographic documentation and was guided by comments by Mr. Drapeau’s family. The statue of the former mayor of Montréal was commissioned by Industrielle Alliance.

Lawyer and politician Jean Drapeau was born in Montréal in 1916, and was elected mayor of Montréal in 1954 but was defeated in 1957. He founded the Parti civique de Montréal in 1960 and had an uninterrupted run of electoral victories under this party banner until 1986. Drapeau modernized the municipal administration, started the process leading to universal suffrage in municipal elections, and proceeded with annexation of municipalities enclaved within the city. He instigated major infrastructure projects, including the Métro and the Maisons de la culture. Montréal stepped into the international scene with the 1967 World Fair (Expo 67), the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, and the Floralies internationales in 1980. Drapeau was also chair of the board of directors of the Montréal Urban Community from 1970 until he left the mayor’s office. He then was Canada’s ambassador to UNESCO from 1987 to 1991. He died in Montréal in 1999.