NEW ORLEANS — The Historic New Orleans Collection announced the acquisition of two exceptionally rare portraits by Julien Hudson, widely regarded as Louisiana’s first native‑born portrait painter and one of the earliest known portrait artists of color in the United States.
Hudson’s Legacy and the New Paintings
According to Erin Greenwald, curator and deputy director of the museum, only six works by Hudson are known to exist. Adding two more to the collection represents a significant enrichment of the state’s cultural heritage.
“These are two portraits of people of color painted by a person of color in the pre‑Civil War period,” Greenwald said, emphasizing the historic importance of seeing both the artist and his subjects represented in the same era.
Details of the Portraits
Both paintings were created in 1835 and depict free people of color. One portrait features a young boy believed to be linked to the prominent Nutt family, a name with deep roots in Northwest Louisiana. The second portrait shows an older man wearing a turban‑style Madras headscarf and an earring, offering a vivid illustration of personal style among free people of color at the time.
Greenwald noted that the works provide a rare visual record of everyday life for free people of color in Louisiana before the Civil War, underscoring Hudson’s importance in American art history.
Public Access
The two portraits are now on display at the Williams Research Center of the Historic New Orleans Collection. Visitors can view the paintings free of charge during regular museum hours.
By preserving and presenting these works, the museum not only honors a pioneering artist but also enriches the community’s understanding of its diverse past.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
