Description:

William Woodward (American/New Orleans, 1859-1939), "French Opera House", 1907, Rafaelli crayon on board, signed, dated and inscribed "French Opera N.O." lower right, pencil-inscribed en verso, 19 in. x 15 in., framed Provenance: Henry Plauche Dart (1858-1934), thence by descent; Estates of Jane and Stewart Maunsell. Henry P. Dart, in addition to being a prominent attorney, historian and archivist, was an early supporter of historic preservation. Note: When the director of the opera company in New Orleans, Charles Boudousquié, commissioned a new opera house in 1859, James Gallier, Jr. was asked to design the building. The Greek Revival structure, which stood on the corner of Bourbon and Toulouse Streets, was completed in only seven months and became one of the premier locations for New Orleans social life for the next sixty years. Many types of events took place at the Opera House, both private and public, including Carnival balls, wedding receptions, concerts, and debuts. After sixty years of being the pinnacle of New Orleans society, on December 3, 1919, a fire of unknown origins spread throughout the entire complex, leaving it in ruins. Although plans to renovate the building were discussed, they ultimately never came to fruition. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William Woodward worked on a series of historical sketches of the streets of the French Quarter, completing at least four views of the Old French Opera House. Of the four, the one presented here depicts the most intimate view of the Opera House itself, focusing on the curved side and front façade of the building. With his use of thickly applied Raffaelli oil crayon, Woodward created his most atmospheric and highly Impressionist version of the scene. The bright palette, technique of applying broad layers of color, and the energetic crayon strokes create a cohesive composition and add to the sense of immediacy in this important work. Ref.: Hinckley, Robert. William Woodward: American Impressionist. New Orleans: MPress, 2009.

    Condition:
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May 19, 2018 10:00 AM CDT
New Orleans, LA, US

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