.lose Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza Mexican- New Orleans, mid-1700s-1802, act. New Orleans 1782-1802, "Portrait of Marie Marguerite Reine Sarde"', oil on canvas, signed and dated "1797" lower right, inscribed in French on reverse "Nous somme au Comble(? du bonheur Savoir premiere que ses derniers arrangements sont(? nous sommes comble(? ", 36in. x 28 1-4in., antique gilt frame. E50000- 70000 Provenance: Descended in the family of the sitter until the present owner. Note: Jose de Mendoza Y Salazar is considered the first artist of Louisiana. he arrives from his native Mexico just as colonial rule is changing from French to Spanish hands. The ascending Creole culture, with its taste for the luxurious and refined, provides the perfect atmosphere for Salazar to flourish painting portraits for the old families and the theocracy. Little is known about Salazar and his life. he is referred to as "the celebrated self-taught portrait painter' in Cabildo papers, yet his sophisticated, European influenced-style possibly suggests some schooling. If not schooled, he likely had access to portrait prints from Northern Europe. This is most evident in his use of the tondo, or oval, in which he frames his subjects. This was not a practice in colonial Central America, or even European painting at the time, but can be found often in 17th and 18th century portrait prints Small nuances and attention to detail prove Salazar to be a colonial master rather than an itinerant artist. Along with the complex compositions, the detail in costume, jewelry, and background imbue the sitters with grandeur and dignity. This is evident in the rare portrait being offered of Marie Marguerite Reine Sarde. She is depicted seated at an angle looking to the right, in a Louis Xvi chair, her arm resting on a marble top commode. She is wearing a white shawl, holding a fan, and has a white ribbon in her hair. Her jewelry is delicately rendered gold earrings, an onyx bead necklace, and a gold ring. When this portrait was painted she would have been twenty-seven years old. Records from the Archdiocese of New Orleans identify her as the widow of Urbain Gaiennie. Accompanying the lot is a detailed genealogy. Collections include the Louisiana State Museum, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the Anglo-American Museum, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Tulane University and private collections. Ref.: Down of Style in Louisiana Painting 1800-1950, Estill Curtis Pennington, Pelican Publishing Co., 1991, pgs. 17-30 The Encyclopaedia of New Orleans Artists 1718-1918 Historic New Orleans Collection, p 336