Gérard Lavallée (1928-2018) was a professor of visual arts and art history at the Collège de Saint-Laurent from 1953 to 1975. In 1962 he founded the Musée d'art de Saint-Laurent, where he was its director until 1987. 

He has written several publications, including Images taillées du Québec in 1966 and 2 years later, Anciens ornemanistes et imagiers du Canada français in the Arts, vie et sciences au Canada français (Ministry for Cultural Affairs) collection.  Between 1967 and 1971 he pursued research on 17th and 18th century European art, particularly in France, with the aim of discovering the sources and originality of ancient Québec art.