Sporting a full, curly head of hair, Pierre d’Ailleboust d’Argenteuil wears his gentleman’s clothing with poise.

The son of Charles Joseph d’Ailleboust des Muceaux and Catherine Legardeur de Repentigny, Pierre d’Ailleboust d’Argenteuil was born in Quebec City in June 1659. He belonged to two prominent families in New France. He received the d’Argenteuil seigneury from his father.

He married Marie Louise Denys de La Ronde in 1687. He signed “P. D. Dargenteuil.” The couple had 11 children, several of whom would become active in the army or the fur trade.

A soldier first and foremost, Pierre d’Ailleboust d’Argenteuil was a lieutenant, then a company commander. He had a very good reputation. He knew how to carry out several responsibilities that were entrusted to him. Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, Governor General of New France, appreciated his ways of doing things.

His missions sent him to the Michilimackinac region, to the Detroit post, and to Fort Saint-Jean in Newfoundland. Certain expeditions were carried out in the company of his cousin, Jean-Paul Le Gardeur de Saint-Pierre.

While Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil appointed him to lead an expedition aimed at making contact with Indigenous peoples in the west of the country, Pierre d’Ailleboust d’Argenteuil was struck down by a major stroke, a cerebrovascular accident that was fatal to him. He died in Montreal on March 15, 1711, at the age of 51.

This work of ancient art has been part of the museum’s collection since 1942-1943 thanks to the donation of Mrs. Norman Neilson née Alice Tarieu de Lanaudière.

Donation from Alice Tarieu de Lanaudière Neilson
Musée Pierre-Boucher Collection
1980 10 P