Quartier des Spectacles in Montréal, Québec — Central Canada (French-Canadian)
Esplanade Tranquille
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024
1. Esplanade Tranquille Marker
Passionné de littérature et ardent défenseur de la liberté d’expression, Henri Tranquille était un libraire d'exception. Surnommé « Monsieur livre », ce visionnaire audacieux favorise l'accès aux livres et fait de sa librairie un espace propice à l'expression et à la diffusion d'idées variées, sans aucune censure. Il fait également une grande place aux arts, particulièrement aux artistes émergents tels les automatistes, et accueille de nombreuses expositions et manifestations culturelles.
La Librairie Tranquille a été un espace de rencontre pour les auteurs, artistes et créateurs indépendants, un lieu phare de l'avant-garde artistique et de la littérature québécoise. C'est d'ailleurs à cet endroit que fut publié, le 9 août 1948, le manifeste Refus global, qui marquera l'histoire.
À sa façon, Henri Tranquille a contribué à l'émancipation de la société québécoise, à l'aube de la Révolution tranquille.
[English translation]
Public space named in memory of Henri Tranquille and his famous shop, the Librairie Tranquille (Tranquille Bookstore), which had a storefront right here at 67 Sainte-Catherine Street West from 1948 to 1974.
Passionate about literature and a staunch defender of freedom of expression, Henri Tranquille was an exceptional bookseller. Nicknamed "Mr. Book," this bold visionary promoted access to books and made his bookstore a space conducive to expression and the spread of diverse ideas, without any censorship. He also gave a prominent place to the arts, particularly to emerging artists such as the Automatistes, and hosted numerous exhibitions and cultural events.
The Librairie Tranquille was a meeting place for authors, artists, and independent creators, a key location in the artistic avant-garde and Quebec literature. It was in fact, at this location that the Refus global manifesto was published on August 9, 1948, which would make history.
In his own way, Henri Tranquille contributed to the emancipation of Quebec society, at the dawn of the Quiet Revolution.
Topics.
this page online
Location. 45° 30.571′ N, 73° 33.867′ W. Marker is in Montréal, Québec. It is in Quartier des Spectacles. It is at the intersection of Rue Clark and Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, on the left when traveling west on Rue Clark. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1442 Rue Clark, Montréal QC H2X 2R3, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Henri Tranquille (here, next to this marker); La Librairie Tranquille (a few steps from this marker); La passion partagée de la littérature à la Librairie Tranquille (a few steps from this marker); L'avant-garde artistique au rendez-vous Chez Tranquille (a
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024
2. Esplanade Tranquille Marker
Looking west along Rue Clark from Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest. Esplanade Tranquille is on the left.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Esplanade Tranquille
Also see . . . Refus Global (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Le Refus global (English: Total Refusal) was an anti-establishment and anti-religious manifesto released on August 9, 1948, in Montreal by a group of sixteen young Québécois artists and intellectuals that included Paul-Émile Borduas, Jean-Paul Riopelle and Françoise Sullivan. Le Refus Global originated from a group called Les Automatistes, led by Paul-Émile Borduas. This group created abstract paintings inspired by French surrealists of the time and scorned all academic teaching available at the time in Quebec.(Submitted on May 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Le Refus Global was a manifesto that completely rejected the social, artistic and psychological norms and values of Québécois society at the time. Calling for "an untamed need for liberation," the manifesto cried out for "resplendent anarchy" and criticized the "cassocks that have remained the sole repositories of faith, knowledge, truth, and national wealth." Of the 400 published copies of Le Refus Global, selling for a dollar apiece, only about half of them were sold. Notwithstanding, this manifesto caused an uproar, and because of this manifesto, Borduas lost his job at the École du Meuble de Montréal. Later, the manifesto was translated into different languages and was read in America and Europe. It has been said by commentators that from the publication of this manifesto, "modern French Canada began", while CBC calls it "one of the most important and controversial artistic and social documents in modern Quebec society".
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
