Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Jean Baptiste Regnault (Paris 1754-1829), Cupid and Hymen Drink from the Cup of Friendship, 1820

Jean Baptiste Regnault (Paris 1754-1829), Cupid and Hymen Drink from the Cup of Friendship, 1820, 

Pierre-Narcisse Guerin (Paris 1774-1833 Rome), Phaedra and Hippolytus, 1802/1815

Pierre-Narcisse Guerin (Paris 1774-1833 Rome), Phaedra and Hippolytus, 1802/1815, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux

Benjamin West 1738-1820 The Power of Love in the Three Elements, 1809

Benjamin West  1738-1820 The Power of Love in the Three Elements,  1809

Achille Etna Michallon (French, 1796-1822), Academic study of male nude, 1820

Achille Etna Michallon (French, 1796-1822), Academic study of male nude, 1820

Anslem Feuerbach (German, 1829-1880), Seated Male Nude

Anslem Feuerbach (German, 1829-1880), Seated Male Nude

Louis Hersent (French, Paris 1777-1860), Daphnis and Chloe - The Flute Lesson, circa 1850, Louvre Museum

Louis Hersent (French, Paris 1777-1860), Daphnis and Chloe - The Flute Lesson, circa 1850, Louvre Museum

Robert Lefevre (French 1755-1830), Cupid Sharpening His Arrows,1798

Robert Lefevre (French 1755-1830), Cupid Sharpening His Arrows,1798

Baron Francois Gerard (French, Rome 1770 - 1837 Paris), Daphnis and Chloe, 1824

Baron Francois Gerard (French, Rome 1770 - 1837 Paris), Daphnis and Chloe, 1824

Jean-Baptiste Regnault (French, 1754-Paris-1829), Education of Achilles by Centaur Chiron, 1782

Jean-Baptiste Regnault (French, 1754-Paris-1829), Education of Achilles by Centaur Chiron, 1782

Joseph-Marie Vien (French, Montpellier 1716 - 1809 Paris), Academic Nude, 1745 - 50, Musee Fabre, Montpellier

Joseph-Marie Vien (French, Montpellier 1716 - 1809 Paris), Academic Nude, 1745 - 50, Musee Fabre, Montpellier

Joseph-Marie Vien (1716-1809) Academic Nude

Joseph-Marie Vien  (1716-1809) Academic Nude

ADOLPHE-ULRICH WERTMÜLLER PORTRAIT D'UNE DAME DE QUALITÉ ET DE SON FILS Paris, vers 1792

ATTRIBUÉ À ADOLPHE-ULRICH WERTMÜLLER (1751-1811) PORTRAIT D'UNE DAME DE QUALITÉ ET DE SON FILS Paris, vers 1792

Lt. Col. William Preston Johnston (1831-1899), Kentucky, 1854. Oil on canvas in original frame.

Arrt. Joseph Henry Bush (1794-1865), Lt. Col. William Preston Johnston (1831-1899), Kentucky, 1854. Oil on canvas in original frame. 39 3/4" x 34 1/2". Johnston's remarkable life included service as aide-de-camp to Jefferson Davis, 1863-1865; a member of Robert E. Lee's inner circle at Washington College, 1868-1872 & President of Louisiana State (1880-1884) & Tulane Universities (1884-1899).

Merry-Joseph Blondel, The Death of Hyacinthus, c. 1830

Merry-Joseph Blondel, The Death of Hyacinthus, c. 1830

Rare représentation des quatre enfants de Louis XVI et Marie - Antoinette réunis by Jean Pierre Chasselat


L'ainée, Marie-Thérèse dite Madame Royale (1778+1851), futur duchesse d'Angoulême et qui fut la seule à survivre la révolution.

Le premier Dauphin Louis (1781+1789), mort au début des évènements.

Le futur Louis XVII (1785+1795), mort au Temple.

Mademoiselle Sophie (1786+1787), dont la mort à 11 mois nous permet de dater la miniature de 1787.

Vente du 7 juin 2009 à Auxerre , étude de Maître Frédéric Lefranc, estimation de départ 1500-2000 €.

Adjugé 9.500 EUR (hors frais).

Portrait of Thaddeus Burr, ca.1758 - By John Singleton Copley

Portrait of Thaddeus Burr, ca.1758 - By John Singleton Copley 

Leon Cogniet - Portrait of Louis-Philippe d’Orleans, Duke of Chartres, 1834 - Léon Cogniet (1794-1880)

Leon Cogniet - Portrait of Louis-Philippe d’Orleans, Duke of Chartres, 1834 - Léon Cogniet (1794-1880)




Le Comte Pierre-Jean de Bourcet et sa famille - Charles Paul Landon, 1791

Le Comte Pierre-Jean de Bourcet et sa famille - Charles Paul Landon, 1791

Famille Mégret de Sérilly - Jacques Thouron, 1787

Famille Mégret de Sérilly - Jacques Thouron, 1787

JEAN BAPTISTE MALLET (GRASSE 1759 - PARIS 1835) L'amour les conduit L'amitié


JEAN BAPTISTE MALLET (GRASSE 1759 - PARIS 1835) L'amour les conduit L'amitié

The Death of Hyacinth by Benjamin West 1771

The Death of Hyacinth by Benjamin West 1771 

Monday, December 30, 2013

Jean-Pierre Granger (1779-1840), Apollon et Cyparisse in 1816

 Jean-Pierre Granger (1779-1840),  Apollon et Cyparisse in 1816

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Gumbo z'herbes

Gumbo z'herbes by Andrew LaMar Hopkins 20x16

This is my latest "Creole Kitchen painting titled "Gumbo z'herbes" the painting centers around making the local New Orleans dish dating from the 19th century. When New Orleans Catholics were expected to abstain from eating meat during Lent, a meatless variety of gumbo, known as gumbo des herbes (literally "gumbo with herbs" and shortened to gumbo z'herbes), was often served in local Creole households. This variety combined a large number of greens – typically including turnips, mustard greens, and spinach. The greens were cooked to mush and strained through a sieve to produce a thick green liquid. Preparation for this variety of gumbo was time-consuming, and as Lenten restrictions have relaxed in the 20th century, the dish has become less popular. It is very rarely served in restaurants. In modern times, ham or crabmeat is occasionally added to this type of gumbo.

Gumbo z'herbes may have originated with the French, Germans, or West Africans. It has similarities to the French dish potage aux herbes ("soup with herbs"), as well as to the African callaloo. The meatless dish also bears striking resemblance to a dish often eaten in Germany on Maundy Thursday. German Catholics, obeying the Lenten rules, often served a stew made of seven different greens on this date.


Early Louisiana Creole armoire 







The painting in centered around a arched Creole flagstone courtyard with formal French parterre and topiary garden. In the center of the garden is a classical marble statue of Paris. The terracotta tiled floor of the Creole kitchen is full of locally made Louisiana Creole pieces with the cypress kitchen work table and the 18th century inlay cabriole leg armoire.  The pottery on the floor is French provincial. On the cypress work table are polished silver known at plate during the period. A silver epergne that would be the centerpiece of the dinning room table and to display fruit. A silver pitcher and Soup tureen. To the left of the table are two Wedgewood pottery obelisk moulds.  A clear jelly was moulded around a ceramic "core", often in the form of an obelisk decorated with hand-painted motifs,  These eccentric, but exquisite jellies were used as table centrepieces in the late Georgian dessert.

Antonio Canova's Paris 1812











A Creole lady rolls out dough for a pie at the work table as another chops up fresh greens for the Gumbo z'herbes. The cook puts herbs in the Gumbo pot at the Stewholes or Potager. In many ways, the stewholes were the most convenient and efficient means of cooking in this type of kitchen. They were at waist level, so there was no need to bend down over the hearth. They did not emit as much heat as the hearth, so it was easier on the cooks. They mostly burned charcoal, which was less expensive than the hardwoods needed for the hearth and oven and which allowed the cook to easily control the cooking temperature.



Charcoal fires are slow, even, and basically smokeless. They are well suited to the slow, simmering needed for many French and Creole recipes. The cook could put foods, such as gumbo or beans, on the stewholes and leave the kitchen without fear that it would burn. Simmering was also an important way to deal with the heat of New Orleans, because, prior to refrigeration, it was useful to be able to leave something simmering, so that it would not “go bad.” Stewholes were useful for more than just simmering; a cook could also create a hot flame to boil or fry on the stewholes.


18th century Potager at the Le Petit Trianon




The framed art in the kitchen include two Old Master paintings one over the Potager and the other over the armoire. other art are hand colored engravings of fruit.  Over the Potager hang copper pots, pans and molds. Next to the armoire is a 18th century copper water cistern. In front of the armoire two rabbits managed to take a radish.  











Gumbo z'herbes by Andrew LaMar Hopkins 20x16 available for sale here