From Early Stories to Today · Drawing 11
A quill and some ink
The 19th century
To write with a quill, people dipped its tip in an inkwell. Then they guided the quill across the paper.
Look together
Can you find the inkwell?
An idea to try
Your child dictates a short invitation to an adult, then decorates it with crayons. Compare the tools used for this message with those shown in the drawing.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
An inkwell is a small container that keeps ink within reach of a quill. Québec's cultural heritage directory describes one from the first half of the 19th century found in Québec City's Saint-Roch neighbourhood. The object's date and the date it was found are two different pieces of its history.
Notice what writing requires here: a tip, ink, paper and a hand to guide the movement. Compare it with a pencil, which makes marks without dipping. The image does not reproduce an old document. Its blank sheet invites children to imagine a message, a list or an invitation.
Sources and context
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
Source review: 2026-09-12. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.