| Portrait of a Creole Woman with Madras Tignon | |
|---|---|
| Portrait of Marie Laveau (historically) | |
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| Artist |
|
| Year | c. 1837 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Subject | Unknown Creole woman |
| Dimensions | 53 cm × 60 cm (21 in × 23.5 in) |
| Location | Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Owner | Virginia Museum of Fine Arts |
Portrait of a Creole Woman with Madras Tignon (c. 1837) is an oil painting traditionally attributed to George Catlin. It is best known from a c. 1915 copy made by Frank Schneider, an art restorer working for the Louisiana State Museum. The portrait was historically known as Portrait of Marie Laveau as it was presumed to depict Louisiana Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. Long thought to be lost, the painting resurfaced in 2022 when it was sold at auction for US$984,000.
The three-quarter painting shows an unknown free Creole of color woman wearing a multicolor tignon and a red shawl. It includes a signature at the upper right "G. Catlin Nlle Orléans / mai 1837".[1] Despite the sitter being identified as Laveau, and Catlin having spent time in New Orleans during her lifetime,[2] there are no records of him having met or painted her.[3]
- ^ "Lot 883: Rare Early Creole Portrait". Asheville, North Carolina: Brunk Auctions. 2022. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "George Catlin Artist Timeline". Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. January 21, 2015. p. VMFA Educational Resources. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ MacCash, Doug (May 24, 2022). "Famous portrait of someone who is not Marie Laveau sells for almost $1 million". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.