Lot 297: Louis Antoine Collas (French/New Orleans,

Louis Antoine Collas (French/New Orleans, 1775-1856, active New Orleans 1822-29), a pair of pendant portraits, "Dr. Yves Julien Joseph Lemonnier", oil on canvas, signed and dated "1828" lower right, 26 3/4 in. x 22 3/4 in., and "Marie Charlotte Aimée Bouchet Saint Martin Lemonnier", oil on canvas, signed lower left, 26 1/4 in. x 22 1/4 in., in matching period gilt frames.

Note: Born in Bordeaux, France, Louis Collas had a remarkable career in Europe and Easternr Europe, including painting members of the Czar's court in Russia, before moving to the United States. After living for several years in the Northeast, Collas moved to New Orleans around 1822 and was active in the French Quarter between 1822 and 1829 Having exhibited in Paris, St. Petersburg, New York, and Philadelphia, Collas quickly became a premier portrait painter in the city, with many prominent New Orleans families as clients. Although he returned to France in 1831-32, he left behind many paintings of New Orleans citizens tha were greatly admired. The portraits of Dr. Yves Lemonnier and his wife are beautiful examples of Collas' technique and attention to detail, particularly noted in the brushwork on Mme. Lemonnier's lace collar and sleeve. Dr. Lemonnier was a prominent physician in New Orleans during the early nineteenth century. Born in Bretagne, France, he and his brother, René, moved to New Orleans after briefly living in St. Domingue and Cuba and arrived in the city in 1809 In 1814 he married Marie Charlotte Aimée Bouchet Saint-Martin, daughter of Pierre Bouchet Saint-Martin and Geneviève de Calongne Saint-Martin of Des Allemandes in St. Charles Parish. Mrs. Lemonnier was a descendant of Claude Trepagnier, who began one of the oldest families in the city, and she was the great-great niece of Françoise Trepagnier McCarty, of whom there is a portrait in the Louisiana State Museum. She was also a distant cousin of Pierre Trepagnier, who Collas had painted in 1827 (lot 336). Additionally, on her mother's side of the family, she was related to the Carrière family and related through marriage to the Labatut family. Dr. and Mrs. Lemonnier resided at the still-existing 640 Royal Street, called the "first skyscraper" of the French Quarter because it was the first building erected with more than two stories. They had four children, Amire, René, Ann Celeste, and Marie Jeanne Aimée, called Aimée like her mother. René's daughter Marie-Felice married Benjamin Peters, son of Samuel J. Peters, whose numerous descendants still inhabit the city of New Orleans today. The handwritten notes on the back of the portraits detail the family line. The note on the back of Dr. Lemonnier's painting reads, "Docteur Lemonnier (Yves Julien Joseph), épouse de Marie Charlotte Aimée Bouché Saint Martin, grandpère de Madame Gousse, née Jeanne Marie Petit, arrière-grandpère de Madame Corbes, née Gousse." The note on the back of Mrs. Lemonnier's portrait reads, "Marie Charlotte Aimée Bouche Saint Martin, épouse de M. Yves Julien Joseph Lemonnier, docteur en médecin, mère de Marie Jeanne Aimée Lemonnier, épouse de M. Paul Marie Petit, père de Marie Anne Petit, mariée à Jules Marie Gousse, père de Jeanne Marie Gousse, celle ci épouse Corbes de Hatigny et mère de Yvonne Marie Gaëlane Corbes."