Louisiana School, 1854., "Portrait of a Member of the Godchaux Family, Probably Michelette Lazard Godchaux (1790-1878) Wearing Portrait Brooch", c. 1860, oil on canvas, faintly signed "Moses pinxt" and dated lower right, 36 in. x 29 in., framed . Provenance: Estate of Eve Godchaux Hirsch, New Orleans. Note: Paul Godchaux (possibly originally spelled Godchot) married Michelette Lazard in Metz, France in the early 1800s. The couple and their children immigrated from France to the United States in the 1830s, and by 1841 the family owned land for sugar cultivation. The descendants of the Godchaux family became prominent members of the New Orleans community including Leon Godchaux, who founded the famous department store Godchaux’s that existed on Canal Street from 1840 to 1986.
In this portrait, the sitter, likely the matriarch Michelette Lazard Godchaux, wears a brooch with a portrait, possibly that of her husband, who had passed away in 1850. Also on display are her fine jewelry and lace bonnet, collar, and cuffs, in addition to the beautiful fresh flowers in her hair, making for a distinctive portrait of a prominent New Orleans citizen.
This painting was probably created by one of the Moses brothers, Bernard (1832-1899) or Gustave (1836-1915), both of whom were portrait painters and photographers. The Moses family arrived in New Orleans from Bavaria before 1850, with the patriarch, Samuel Moses, establishing a daguerreotype, painting, and photography studio. In due course, his sons and grandsons joined the family business as well, continuing the tradition at their Canal Street location.