Graffiti artists from the Montreal-based art collective A'shop have created a five story modern art nouveau piece called Our Lady of Grace, a nod to the original work of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha.

A'shop has dubbed the mural the N.D.G. Project, so named for the Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighborhood in Montreal, Canada. Artists Fluje, Guillaume Lapointe, Antonin Lambert, DoDo Ose and Bruno Rathbone (all aged 27 to 33) decided to band together for their last mural of the season, deciding on a classic theme that would combine the beauty of art nouveau with the possibilities of urban artwork.

The City of Montreal gave A'shop complete control on the project and helped with funding, but locals were less enthused at first. Some people gave us the cold shoulder at first, thinking we were painting an ad, Fluke said. Then when they realized we were reviving an old wall with a mural, they came back to see us everyday. Within days we had the whole community involved.

The finished project, five stories of lush graffiti art honoring Mucha and Art Nouveau, has already generated an immensely positive public response, with the group's Facebook page generating thousands of comments by the hour. I'm so proud of Montreal, said one commenter, while another gushed: Should be more of these in the city... better than Prozac for depression!

A'shop agrees. Our city has way too much gray, Fluke told The Montreal Gazette. So I hope this ['Our Lady of Grace'] kickstarts a mural campaign. The architecture in Montreal is perfect for it.

Below, see step-by-step photos of the N.D.G. Project, and the completion of Montreal's exquisite new mural, Our Lady of Grace.

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