The first painters to walk the land, without necessarily looking at it from an artistic point of view, were topographers. These English soldiers, in the late 18th century, would build on earlier drawings by a Swedish botanist and a French abbot.

As early as the year 1800, however, La Malbaie was the scene of the beginnings of vacationing in Canada. Among the wealthy English-speaking visitors arriving by cruise ship were the first artists proper. Impressed by the rugged beauty of the area, they contributed to spreading the word about the region across North America through their works.

In the early 20th century, some members of the Group of Seven also discovered Charlevoix. This group of seven Canadian painters is recognized as having greatly influenced the history of art in this country, mainly by celebrating panoramic views and the northern landscape, while drawing inspiration from European Impressionist movements. Among them, Alexander Y. Jackson, born in Montreal, and Arthur Lismer were the most frequent visitors to the region. These latter, faithful to their movement, portrayed the pristine Charlevoix landscape while remaining detached from the folkloric viewpoint.

Charlevoix landscapes immortalized