Jacques Amans

Jacques Guillaume Lucien Amans (* 1801 in Maastricht, † January 10, 1888 in Paris) was a French painter who lived in Louisiana twenty years. He was one of the most important portrait painters of the city of New Orleans mid-19th century.

Life

Jacques Amans was born in 1801 in Maastricht. He probably attended the École des Beaux- Arts before he exhibited his paintings for 1831 to 1837 in the Salon de Paris. Together with the painter Jean Joseph Vaude Champ (1790-1866) came Amans 1836 for the first time to New Orleans. In this year, his first known portrait is dated, representing a person from Louisiana and he acquired at the same time on the River Bayou Lafourche, the sugar plantation Trinity. The following year, the two painters went again with the same ship to New Orleans. Amans spent the winter months and painted numerous portraits of prominent citizens. In the summer he left the city to escape the yellow fever and traveled to Paris or to his plantation. 1856 left Aman and his wife Azoline Landreaux Louisiana final and moved to La Cour Levy near Versailles. 1878 died Amans wife. At this time he lived in Paris, where he died ten years later even.

Work

From Amans ' work exclusively his portraits are known. He is regarded as the most important portrait painters of the city of New Orleans in the 1840s and early 1850s. Amans portrayed, among other things, Andrew Jackson (1840 and 1844 ) and Zachary Taylor ( 1848). He preferred three quarter portraits of seated models. In his painting style shows the influence of Jean -Auguste -Dominique Ingres.

His work has been exhibited, among others from 1831 to 1837 in Paris salons and 1885-1886 on the American Exposition in New Orleans. You are now in the possession of various museums including the Louisiana State Museum, and Brooklyn Museum.