Description:

François Fleischbein (Bavarian/New Orleans, c. 1801-1868), "Portrait of a Creole Woman", 1850, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, 30 in. x 25 in., giltwood frame. Provenance: Tilden-Foley Gallery, New Orleans, Feb. 17, 1995. Ill.: Wiesendanger, Martin and Margaret. Nineteenth Century Louisiana Painters and Paintings from the Collection of W.E. Groves. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co., 1971, p. 48 Note: As we learn more about François Fleischbein’s oeuvre, it becomes apparent that he was one of the leading painters of free women of color in the city of New Orleans. His two most famous examples of this type of portraiture are Portrait of Betsy of 1837, located at the Historic New Orleans Collection, and Portrait of a Free Woman of Color of 1835-40, located at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The rare work offered here, signed and dated 1850, represents an accurate representation of 1850s fashion and hairstyling. The hair is parted in the center and brushed down over the tops of the ears, a style that existed into the 1860s. The natural waistline and dropped shoulder line, with narrow sleeves had come into fashion in the late 1840s, opposing the extravagantly puffed mouton sleeves of the late 1830s and early 1840s. While demurely dressed in black and a high white collar, the woman depicted here is clearly a person of some means; her jewelry, lace, and scroll arm sofa all add to the ambience of the painting and portray her status as a prominent woman of color in New Orleans society.

Shipping Options

Invaluable Shipping

  • Expert Care packing and Shipping
  • Shipment Protection
  • Real-time tracking

Arrange your own

  • You will coordinate with us to arrange your own shipping

Local pickup

  • You will coordinate with us and arrange pick up time after payment.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

November 21, 2015 10:00 AM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

Neal Auction Company

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 28% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $9,999 $250
$10,000 $49,999 $500
$50,000 $999,999 $5,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $10,000
$2,000,000 $2,999,999 $15,000
$3,000,000 + $20,000