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Jean Joseph Vaudechamp was born in Rambervillers in the mountainous area of northwestern France. He was a pupil of Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson. He was a gifted portraitist. France was perhaps the world's most competitive market for artists. America had only few really gifted artists. We still see mostly folk art. In the era just before photography was invented. Vaudechamp decided to head to America (winter 1831–32). He chose New Orleans, a rare American city with an important French community. The Louisiana Creole population was focused on French culture. He was very successful in finding clients. Over the next 10 years he would spend his winters in New Orleans. He stood out as the leading portrait in New Orleans and the surrounding area. This was during the height of Antebellum King Cotton and there were southerns who could afford a beautifully painted portraits.
Here is one of his impressive potraits. We thought at first that they were two girls bcause of the long, brided hair and what one art exporter calls their 'sweet expressions'. Art historaans believe that they probably were the sons of M. Almeric Berthier, comte de LaSallee. Albert was the second Count Berthier de La Salle (1833-1886), man of letters and
Edgar Hippolyte Charles, third Count Berthier de La Salle (1835–1921), cavalry officer. The portrait was painted in 1841. A branch of the family is notable for taking in Emperess Josephine's children. The center hair part is normally a girl's style, but like most indicators is not absolute. There are factors confiring that they are boys. The blouses and long pants are noy how girls were dressed in the mid-19th century. Girls wore dresses. Blouses and pants are how boys dressed. Velvet blousessand the white trousers-were expensive garments becuse of the matrial and needed workmanship. They would noy jhave been worn by most boys. Their hhair dos and elegant garments the boys are wearing show that they belong to an elite social class . Not only does the opulance ance of the portait denotes wrealth, but also their is an elaborate carved and gilded frame. Thus we have a portarit of the sons of a French count. Vaudechamp exhibited the portrait at the Salon of of Paris (1842). This portarit follows Vaudecamp's decade-long and very profitable activities in New Orleans.
After returing permanently to Paris he attracted many French cliets as well traveling Creoles financed by cotton earnings. His portraits were realistic and beautifully done, but he was not caught up in the artistic movements that swept France, especially after the invention of photography. He thus was not one of the French artistic luminaries. He died at Neuilly-sur-Seine (1866).
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