"Louisiana Nude" 12 x 12 by Andrew LaMar Hopkins, in a collection in Baltimore, Maryland.
While living in Baltimore, Maryland after Hurricane Katrina 2005-2009. I painted "Louisiana Nude" I was so missing my Creole Louisiana that I painted a lot of Historical Louisiana scenes while I loved in Baltimore. This was one of my more successful and favorite ones. The acrylic on canvas measures 12 x 12 inches and shows the fine interior of a Creole Louisiana bedroom dating from the 1820's. The central figure in the painting is a nude gentleman seated on his bed. This figure was inspired by a painting I saw in Rouen, France at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen. The original painting I saw is titled "Seated Gladiator" and is larger than life size by French Neoclassical Artist Jean-Germain Drouais painted (1784-1788). The bright yellow walls of the room contract with the French blue of the French door, transom and baseboard. On the cypress floor is a Neoclassical painted floor cloth. Floor cloths were painted and varnished heavy canvas.
During the 18th and first quarter of the 19th century in America, floorcloths were considered one of the most elegant and fashionable ways to decorate a room. They often imitated costly marble tiles and carried fashionable neoclassical motifs onto floors like the one depicted in the painting. Because they were varnished floorcloths were easy to keep clean than carpets and was the forerunner of Linoleum. The room is furnished with a mix of Creole and imported furniture from the East Coast. Classical Carved Mahogany Bedstead in the French manner was made in New York, city by Duncan Phyfe or Charles-Honoré Lannuier, the posts terminating in giltwood Phoenix heads, fluted, reeded, acanthus carved, and blocked at the rail, ending in tapered reeded legs with hairy paw feet. Next to the bedstead is a early 19th century Federal nightstand with brass hairy paw feet. On top of the night stand is a late 18th century Old Paris porcelain wash pitcher and basin.
The Creole Louisiana Classical Mahogany Armoire to the right of the room, c. 1815-1825, cavetto cornice with chamfered corners, paneled doors with fiche hinges, associated punched brass escutcheons, finely reeded chamfered stiles on front and sides and middle panel, conforming plinth, four turned and reeded legs with suppressed brass ball feet. One either side of the taster are a pair of Classical carved giltwood cornucopia wall brackets made in Philadelphia, PA, circa 1820. Each with a variety of applied nuts, fruit, leafage above coiled cornucopia. One top of the cornucopia giltwood brackets are a pair of French Restoration period Old Paris porcelain vases. To the right of the bed is a black horsehair upholstered Duncan Phyfe, “Grecian” easy chair, circa. 1815-20. The gentleman rest his feet on a horsehair covered footstool. The burgundy window treatment on the French door is the same fabric used on the tester, bedskirt and sheets of the bedstead. One of my best friends in Baltimore, Maryland bought this painting. I'm happy to know it is in a good home..
Attr. To Duncan Phyfe, “Grecian” easy chair, c. 1815-20. This bergere-type easy chair has a reeded mahogany cap outlining the barrel-back frame. The half-upholstered mahogany-veneered front rail bows forward. Scrolled handholds project at the arm terminals. The saber-shaped front legs have waterleaf carving, carved fur begins just below midpoint. The legs end in animal paw feet that appear to be carved from the solid. The chair frame is made of thick mahogany rails. The sweep rear legs continue above the rails to form the rear stiles.
An American Classical Carved Mahogany Bed, 19th c., New York, after Duncan Phyfe or Charles-Honoré Lannuier, the crest rails swagged, beribboned and tasseled, paneled below, the posts terminating in Phoenix heads, fluted, reeded, acanthus carved, and blocked at the rail, ending in tapered reeded legs with hairy paw feet
A Louisiana Classical Mahogany Armoire, c. 1815-1825, cavetto cornice with chamfered corners, paneled doors with fiche hinges, associated punched brass escutcheons, a reconfigured interior fitted with original elements, finely reeded chamfered stiles on front and sides, conforming plinth, four turned and reeded legs with suppressed brass ball feet.
Two Classical carved giltwood cornucopia wall brackets
probably philadelphia, pa, circa 1820
Each with a variety of applied nuts, fruit, leafage above coiled cornucopia.
A large pair of French Restoration period Old Paris porcelain vases.
The inspiration for "Louisiana Nude" "Seated Gladiator" by Jean-Germain Drouais (1784-1788) Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen.
Seated Gladiator (1784-1788) by Jean-Germain Drouais
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