Portrait of Two Children 1841 , by Jean-Joseph Vaudechamp.
Jean Joseph Vaudechamp (1790–1866) was a French painter born in Rambervillers, Vosges. He was a pupil of Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson. The market in Paris was competitive, so in the winter of 1831–32, he went to try his fortunes in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Louisiana Creole people identified with French culture and selected Vaudechamp to paint portraits for them. Over the next ten years he spent winters in New Orleans, and was a leading portrait painter in the region. Jean Joseph Vaudechamp was the most celebrated painter in New Orleans of the 1830s. Painting prominent citizens of this city, he produced an accomplished body of work that displays his great talent and skill. He died at Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1866.
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The market in Paris was competitive, so in the winter of 1831–32, he went to try his fortunes in New Orleans, Louisiana". That is a long way to go, just to break into a new art market. From what you say, it must have been a very good decision.
ReplyDeleteHi, It was a very good decision. Paris at the time had too many good artist and not the patrons for all of them. Kinda like New Orleans in the 1920's with too many good jazz musicians so they had to leave including Louis Armstrong. Actually a few good French artist were coming to Louisiana from France to paint. He was so well loved by Louisiana Creoles that when he was not in New Orleans painting and the Creoles traveled to France they sought him out and continued to patronize him in France long after he stopped visiting New Orleans. If a portrait by Vaudechamp comes up for auction in France today it will be valued for a few thousand dollars. The same portrait would bring at a New Orleans auction house thirty-twenty thousand dollars and a lot more if it is a New Orleans person.
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