George Rodrigue (American/Louisiana, 1944-2013), "Hat in Hand", 1980, oil on canvas, signed lower left, signed and dated en verso, titled, inscribed and artist stamps on stretcher, exhibition label with title and date on reverse of frame, 36 in. x 24 in., framed, overall 44 1/2 in. x 32 3/4 in. x 2 1/2 in. Provenance: Acquired from the artist; Roland Begneaud Family Collection, Lafayette, LA. Exh.: "George Rodrigue: Cajuns and Blue Dogs / Paintings from Louisiana Family Collections 1971-2008", Louisiana State Museum Wedell Williams Aviation a nd Cypress Sawmill Museum, Patterson, LA, July 17 - Nov. 29, 2008. Note: Jolie Blonde was a source of repeated inspiration for George Rodrigue throughout his career, much like the oak tree or Blue Dog. The artist first depicted the emblematic image in 1974 and followed with more than one hundred versions of the iconic Cajun figure. Seated, standing, holding a flower or wearing a hat, Jolie Blonde paintings highlight Rodrigue's distinctive graphic style and creatively unite portraiture and legend. In the 1920s, a prisoner in Port Arthur, Texas wrote a beautiful waltz as he pined for his lost love. The song “Jolie Blonde” became the Cajun national anthem recorded by many musicians over the years. Rodrigue provided the famous figure a visual image, however, first from his imagination and later utilizing models, such as in this painting from 1980. A beautiful Jolie Blonde is framed within the Louisiana landscape, glowing in classic Rodrigue fashion against the dark oaks and framed by blazing red azaleas. As intended by the artist, the canvas reveals little about the model, but rather represents a timeless moment in Acadiana. Ref.: Rodrigue, Wendy. "From Jolie Blonde to Bodies: Paintings of Women." Musings of an Artist's Wife. Dec. 15, 2009. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Mar. 9, 2023; Rodrigue Wendy. "Portraits: The Kingfish and Uncle Earl." Musings of an Artist's Wife. Dec. 6, 2009. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Mar. 9, 2023.

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