Here is a remarkable collection of portraits by Christopher Porché West of New Orleanians who masquerade as Mardi Gras Indians.

Olivia’s post led me to this fascinating discussion of Jacques Guillaume Lucien Amans’ painting Creole in A Red Headdress (c.1840). Amans travelled from his native France to New Orleans to find work as a portraiturist, and he was quite successful. As … Continue reading →

There is a common myth told about 19th-century New Orleans. It goes something like this: Imagine you’re in an elegant dance hall in New Orleans in the early 1800s. Looking around, you see a large group of white men and free women of … Continue reading →

This is one of my favorite Degas paintings — a portrait of his brother Achille’s wife René, who was nearly blind, that Degas painted while visiting New Orleans. The work hangs in the National Gallery of Art. “Posture, gesture, accessories, and … Continue reading →

Go to Spotify to listen to the Art & Identity in New Orleans Playlist.