Figure 1.--This is one of Aviat's portraits in Louisville during 1906. We think he is the son of Rogers Clark Ballard Thruston wearing a black velvet sailor suit. While painted in America, he seem dressed more like a French boy whith bloomer knickers rather than knee pants and low-cut rather hight-top shoes. Notice the fleur-de-lis, embroidery on his dicky.

Jules as born at Brienne-le-Chateau (1844). His parents were Jean Baptiste Mauperrin, a merchant and blacksmith--an unusual obination. His mother was Marie Marguerite Doux. His father died when Jules was young. His mother remarried. His stepfather's younger brother, Auguste Louis Aviat (1819-1876), was a landscape painter, draftsman, and photographer. It was likely as a result of his interest in the latter's work that he decided to become a painter. He chose his stepfather's name as his artist name and became Jules Aviat in his artistic career. Jules went to study in Rome from 1867 to 1870. There, he met and became a student of the director of the Académie de France in Rome, Ernest Hébert, who guided him. Back in France, Jules Aviat studied under Jules-Isidore Lafrance, Carolus-Duran, and Léon Bonnat. With the latter, Ernest Hébert, and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, all three of his friends, he participated in the decoration of the Panthéon in Paris. He is best known for his female portraits and drawings. One authors comments that, "His imaginative pictures are always graceful, refined, decorative in treatment, and charmingly delicate in color. 'A Revelation' is a typical work. In it a young Girl girl, contemplating herself in a hand-mirror, arrives for the first time at the conclusion that she is as beautiful as she has wished herself to be." Aviat visied America (1906). Americans Samuel Thruston Ballard and his wife visited the Salon des Artistes Français (May 1905). They wanted to chose an artist to paint portraits of their family. They selected Aviat as the most gifted artist, except John Singer Sargent, to be Jules Aviat. They invited him to come to Louisville to paint the family portraits. Aviat accepted and sailed on the SS La Bretagne' Le Havre (December 9, 1905). It was his only visit to America. While in Louisville, he executed several family portraits, including the son of Rogers Clark Ballard Thruston and his son (figure 1). He also did Portrais of other Louisville residents, all in just a few months. He departed Louisville (April 1906). He visitd several American cities, including New York. He finally reurned to France (1907). Aviat married Marguerite Françoise Flora Munoz in Paris. She was the daughter of a Parisian psychiatrist of Cuban origin. They raised five children.Aviat finally retired to Périgueux. His finalworks were portraits of the local notables and landscapes. He died in Périgueux (1931).

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Created: 3:31 AM 5/22/2025
Last updated: 3:32 AM 5/22/2025