"Dangerous Creole Liaisons" by Creole Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins

"Dangerous Creole Liaisons" 16 x 12 Available by Creole Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins 

"Gabriel Aime at Le Petit Versailles" by Creole Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins

"Gabriel Aime at Le Petit Versailles" by Creole Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins 

My latest Masterpiece and 3rd painting in the Aime family series, is titled "Gabriel Aime at Le Petit Versailles" 14 x 11, Available. This is a painting of Gabriel Aimé (1828-1854), youngest and the only son of Francois-Gabriel “Valcour” Aime the "Louis XIV of Louisiana." His mother was Josephine Roman Aime, sister of the governor of Louisiana. Gabriel Aime was born at "Le Petit Versailles", in St. James Parish on March 11, 1826. Gabriel Aime was educated at Jefferson College in Louisiana then he was sent abroad for further education in Europe. 

During the 1840's and early 1850's Gabriel Aime tuck "Grand Tours" of Europe. The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper class American young men of sufficient means and rank in the 19th century. On these tours Gabriel Aime would have trek through France and Italy in search of art, culture and the roots of Western civilization. With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months (or years) to roam around. He would have commissioned copies of Old Master paintings like the one depicted in my painting of Salvator Mundi, a painting of Christ as Salvator Mundi (Latin for Savior of the World) original by Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c. 1500.

 Ironically the original showed up at a New Orleans auction house in the 1990's. On Easter Sunday, Apr. 4, 1847, Gabriel Aime received a Papal Blessing from the Pope at the Vatican. Gabriel Aime would perfect his language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent. Gabriel Aime sent to Le Petit Versailles many crates of furniture and decorative arts he had purchased on the Grand Tour like the marble bust of Zeus on the New York classical card table. In 1854 Gabriel returned from a tour of Europe and arrived in New Orleans during a yellow fever epidemic. 

After traveling to his family home Le Petit Versailles, he became sick and died soon after being diagnosed with the Yellow fever.The Times-Picayune notice of his death described him As "His tall, well developed, manly form swelling with youthful health and vigor, and his easy, polished, courteous manner lending additional grace to his pleasant words and lively, smiling countenance". Gabriel’s passing marked the end of his father Aime’s sugar experimentation and the start of his withdrawal from society. The following is recorded in Aime’s plantation journal: 

“The diary of Mr. Valcour Aime closes on the 18th September, 1854, on account of his retirement from active life. His journal was continued by Mr. F. Fortier, his son-in-law. …” In 1856 Aime’s wife Josephine passed away, followed by his daughter Felicie in 1859. The loss of his son, wife, and daughter crushed Aime. In his diary, he writes, “Let him who wishes continue. My time is finished.” Aime secluded himself at home and converted the garden grotto into a makeshift chapel. There and at the local parish church he spent his time in prayer.

"Pierre de Pontalba surrounded by his ancestors at le château de Mont l'Évêque" by Andrew LaMar Hopkins

My latest Masterpiece titled "Pierre de Pontalba surrounded by his ancestors at le château de Mont l'Évêque" by Andrew LaMar Hopkins, 8 x 10. Not for sale. In the collection of the Artist! 

"Mary Ellen Pleasant visits Creole New Orleans" by Creole Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins

"Mary Ellen Pleasant visits Creole New Orleans" by Creole Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins 

My latest Masterpiece is titled "Mary Ellen Pleasant visits Creole New Orleans" 11 x 14 Available. Mary Ellen Pleasant was a 19th-century African American entrepreneur widely known as Mistress Pleasant. Mistress Pleasant used her fortune to further the abolitionist movement. She worked on the Underground Railroad across many states and then helped bring it to California during the Gold Rush Era. She was a friend and financial supporter of John Brown, and was well known in abolitionist circles. After the Civil War, she took her battles to the courts in the 1860s and won several civil rights victories, one of which was cited and upheld in the 1980s and resulted in her being called “The Mother of Human Rights in California”.

Mary Ellen Pleasant lived for a short period in New Orleans during the early 1850's with her 2th husband John James ("J.J.") Pleasants who was a close relative of famouis New Orleans Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s husband. During this time it is believed that Mary Pleasant and Marie Leveau meet many times in Creole New Orleans. This painting shows Mary Pleasant in her rented New Orleans home in the 1830's Greek Revival style. She stands in front of a Greek Key style doorway in a lavishly furnished interior. To the left is a portrait of Voodoo Queen Marie Leveau and to the right a portrait of a black man by New Orleans Free man of color artist Julien Hudson. Under Marie Leveau's portrait is a 1840's mahogany card-table by J & J Meeks of New York city who had a retail showroon in New Orleans on Royal street. On the cardtable is a English Regency bronze and gilt Argand Lamp. To the right of Mary is a American Rococo Revival rosewood armchair.

Pleasant made contradictory claims about her earliest years, and her exact origin remains unclear. In one version of her memoirs dictated to her god-daughter Charlotte Downs, she claimed she was born a slave to a Voodoo priestess and John Hampden Pleasants, youngest son of Governor of Virginia James Pleasants. In any case, she showed up in Nantucket, Massachusetts circa 1827 as a 10- to 13-year-old bonded servant to a storekeeper, "Grandma" Hussey. She worked out her bondage, then became a family member and lifelong friend to Hussey's granddaughter Phoebe Hussey Gardner. The Husseys were deeply involved in the abolitionist movement, and Pleasant met many of the famous abolitionists. With the support of the Hussey/Gardners, she often passed as white. Pleasant married James Smith, a wealthy flour contractor and plantation owner who had freed his slaves and was also able to pass as white. She worked with Smith as a “slave stealer” on the Underground Railroad until his death about four years later. They transported slaves to northern states such as Ohio and even as far as Canada. Smith left instructions and money for her to continue the work after his death.

She began a partnership with John James ("J.J.") Pleasants circa 1848. Although no official records exist of their marriage, it was probably conducted by their friend Captain Gardner, Phoebe's husband, aboard his boat. They continued Smith’s work for a few more years, when increasing attention from slavers forced a move to New Orleans. J.J. Pleasants appears to have been a close relative of Marie Laveau’s husband, and there is some indication that Pleasant and Laveau met and consulted many times before Pleasant left New Orleans by boat for San Francisco in April 1852. J. J. had gone ahead and written back that the area seemed promising for the Underground Railroad.

When Mary Ellen arrived in San Francisco, she passed as white, using her first husband's name among the whites, and took jobs running exclusive men’s eating establishments, starting with the Case and Heiser. She met most of the founders of the city as she catered lavish meals, and she benefited from the tidbits of financial gossip and deals usually tossed around at the tables. She engaged a young clerk, Thomas Bell, at the Bank of California and they began to make money based on her tips and guidance. Thomas made money of his own, especially in quicksilver, and by 1875 they had amassed a 30 million dollar fortune (roughly 647 million dollars in 2017) between them. J.J., who had worked with Mary Ellen from the slave-stealing days to the civil rights court battles of the 1860s and '70s, died in 1877 of diabetes.

“A visit to Creole New Orleans Cities of the Dead” by Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins

“A visit to Creole New Orleans Cities of the Dead” by Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins

My latest masterpiece is titled “A visit to Creole New Orleans Cities of the Dead” 12 x 12 available. This painting depicts a real New Orleans Neoclassical tomb located in St. Louis Cemetery number 2. The cemetery was consecrated for burial in 1823. This interesting and unusual decorative tomb dates from the 1820's. The same time period for my painting, showing a widow and her child in mourning visiting her family tomb. Her recently departed husband is depicted above the tomb floating in clouds with angels. The tomb is a New Orleans above ground tomb made out of stuccoed brick with carved marble detail front. The ceramic wreaths hanging on both sides of the upper tomb is a immortelle. 

An immortelle is an long-lasting flower arrangement placed on graves in cemeteries. They were originally made from natural dried flowers (which lasted longer than fresh flowers) or could be made from artificial materials such as china and painted plaster of paris or beads strung on wire arrangements. A cow lays in front of the tomb. It was hard to keep animals out of New Orleans cemetery's in the 19th century. New Orleans has always respected its dead, but this isn't the reason that our departed loved ones are interred above ground. Early settlers in the area struggled with different methods to bury the dead. Burial plots are shallow in New Orleans because the water table is very high. 

Dig a few feet down, and the grave becomes soggy, filling with water. The casket will literally float. You just can't keep a good person down! The early settlers tried placing stones in and on top of coffins to weigh them down and keep them underground. Unfortunately, after a rainstorm, the rising water table would literally pop the airtight coffins out of the ground. To this day, unpredictable flooding still lifts the occasional coffin out of the ground in areas above the water table, generally considered safe from flooding. 

Another method was to bore holes in the coffins. This method also proved to be unsuitable. Eventually, New Orleans' graves were kept above ground, following the French & Spanish custom of using vaults. The walls of some cemeteries here are made of economical vaults stacked on top of one another, while wealthier families could afford the larger, ornate tombs with crypts. Many family tombs look like miniature houses, complete with iron fences. The rows of tombs resemble streets--and this is why New Orleans burial plots quickly became known as cities of the dead.

"The Haitian Royal Family" by Andrew LaMar Hopkins

"The Haitian Royal Family" by Folk Artist Andrew LaMar Hopkins 

My latest Masterpiece is a miniature titled "The Haitian Royal Family" 4'5 x 4'5 SOLD! This handpainted miniature was influenced by a recently discovered 1811 painting of Jacques-Victor, prince royal of Haiti, Anne-Athénaïre, and Françoise-Améthyste, The royal children of Henri Christophe, king of Haiti, and Marie-Louise Coidavid, by a unknown artist. The strong Haitian influence in New Orleans began with the arrival of the early Haitian settlers in the late 1700s who brought culture and diversity to the Creole city of New Orleans. 

"Tonton de Blanc the Marie Antoinette of Louisiana" by Andrew LaMar Hopkins

"Tonton de Blanc the Marie Antoinette of Louisiana" by Andrew LaMar Hopkins 

My latest masterpiece is titled "Tonton de Blanc the Marie Antoinette of Louisiana" 11 x 14, Available. At a Christmas party I met a ancestor of the fabulous Tonton de Blanc who told me her fascinating story of this amazing lady. I thought at that time I needed to paint her. Tonton de Blanc was the Queen of beauty and fashion of late 18th century Saint Martinville, Louisiana. In my painting Tonton is standing in her Saint Martinville home holding a basket of fruit. The room is furnished with Louisiana made Creole furniture, like the Mahogany Cabriole Leg Armoire to the right and the Louisiana mahogany one drawer side table to the left. On the Creole table is a 18th century cobalt and ormolu Sèvres porcelain vase of garden flowers. 

Over the table is a oil portrait French Queen Marie Antoinette by court painter Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun. While in France Tonton de Blanc was in the Court of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. On top pf the armoire are wallpaper hat boxes. The French doors have a Toile de Jouy and lace drapery treatment. Tonton stands on a imported marble floors that includes yellow Royal Siena marble. Tonton de Blanc had one of the prettiest complexions in the world, all lily and rose, and what care she took of it ! She never went into the yard or the garden without a sunbonnet and a thick veil. 

Yet for all that her jealous critics said she was good and sensible, and would forget everything, even her dressing to help anyone in trouble. Tonton de Blanc was Louisiana Aristocracy and the Queen bee of fashion of 18th century Saint Martin. She designed fashionable hats made by milliners using local materials like split palmetto finished off with silk flowers and ribbons. After Tonton debut her fashions in the saint Marin church ,The next Sunday you could see as many hats as the milliner had time to make, and before the end of the month all the women of Saint Martinville were wearing palmetto hats furnished at a high 18th century cost of $25.00 each! You can read more about Tonton de Blanc in "Strange True Stories of Louisiana" by George Washington Cable.