750

Attributed to Jose Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza

Spanish, 1750-1802

Attributed to Jose Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza
(Spanish, 1750-1802)

"Portrait of Jose Antonio de Hoa (Spanish/Louisiana, b. 1752)", ca. 1795

oil on canvas
unsigned, sitter and lender (Le Blanc) identified on remnant of early 20th-century label on stretcher, various other names and numbers faintly inscribed on stretchers.
Framed.
36" x 28", framed 43" x 34-1/2"

Provenance: Descended in the family of the sitter to his son, Juan Manuel de Hoa (1773/75-1821); his son, Pierre "Pedro" Silverion de Hoa (1802-1866); his daughter, Eulalie de Hoa Le Blanc (1839-1915); her daughters, Emilie de Hoa Le Blanc (1870-1941) and Marie de Hoa Le Blanc (1878-1954); [Probably] Succession of Marie de Hoa Le Blanc [Public auction], Ben P. Matthews Auctioneer, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 27-28, 1954; Private collection, New Orleans, Louisiana; Sold in these rooms, September 26, 1999, lot 1045; Private collection, Louisiana.

Exhibited: 1903- Colonial Exhibit of the Louisiana Historical Society and Loan Exhibit of Members and Friends, New Orleans, December 20, 1903, no. 384.
1920-1925, and 1932, lent/exhibited, Louisiana State Museum, registered in Biennial Reports.
1953- Louisiana Purchase, An Exhibition Prepared by Louisiana State Museum in Co-operation with the Louisiana Landmarks Society [in] the Cabildo, New Orleans, p. 39.

Notes: This fine portrait of Jose Antonio de Hoa, the Administrator of the Spanish Royal Custom House of Louisiana and Florida, painted in New Orleans ca. 1793-1795, exemplifies the New World, and bears close stylistic similarities to Salazar's portrait of Governor Sebastian Calvo de la Puerta, Marquis de Caso Calvo, under whom de Hoa served. In a broader context, this portrait presents not only an indelible window into the "Louisiana Territory" under three Sovereign nations, but also a portrait of a man whose grandchildren would become founding families of New Orleans - the de Hoas, Jourdains, De La Rondes and Le Blancs.

The colony of Louisiana entered Spanish rule in 1763 following the treaty of Paris effectively ending the French and Indian War. King Carlos III bolstered military presence through a series of Bourbon Reforms that fortified the strategic port of New Orleans from British North America thus safeguarding Spain's Mexican mines that extended into Texas. Through the Reforms, large subsidies were dispersed by accomplished administrators and officials like de Hoa and Governor Bernardo de Galvez under whom he first served. A native of Santander Spain, de Hoa was married in 1774 to Antonia de Cacho, and his first son Juan Manuel de Hoa y Cacho, who later followed in his career path as a financial controller, was born within the year. By the early 1780s, de Hoa had been deployed to New Orleans and quickly rose to the appointment of "General Administrator of the Royal Revenues", a title he held until 1789 when he was promoted to "Administrator of the Spanish Royal Customs House" - a position he appears to have maintained through the embattled governorships of de Casa-Calvo and De Salcedo over increasing navigational conflicts with American settlers on the Mississippi River amidst pressure from Napoleon to cede Louisiana back to French control. Within a year of the Louisiana Purchase, de Hoa departs for Havana, Cuba and sells three properties he owned on St. Louis Street. Correspondence with de Hoa and his children in New Orleans persists through 1812.

Following the death of his son Manuel de Hoa and his wife Rosalie Jourdain, the portrait descended to Pierre de Hoa and his wife Emilie De la Ronde, then to their daughter Eulalie de Hoa-Le Blanc, and her daughters Emilie and Marie. The Le Blancs exhibited the portrait of de Hoa several times over the course of 50 years, as well as the portrait of their mother/grandmother Emilie de la Ronde de Hoa attributed to Francois Bernard, and a portrait of their mother-in-law/grandmother Eliza Moussier Le Blanc by Jacques Amans. The Le Blanc sisters were pivotal figures in the art community of New Orleans at the turn of the century and throughout the first few decades of the 20th century. Both were graduates of Newcomb College and accomplished "art craftsmen" of the pottery trade, who continued their post-graduate studies as instructors. They were active members of several arts societies, including the Colonial Dames, The Arts and Crafts Clubs, and Louisiana Colonials. Marie, the more prolific of the two, received numerous honors and scholarships to study in Chicago, Boston and Paris, before settling back in New Orleans as a drawing instructor for New Orleans Public School. Upon Marie's death in 1954, her Estate was sold at public auction. Ben Matthews auctioneer advertised it as the sale of "One of Louisiana's Families Outstanding in Art" with the "finest portraits by eminent artists."

oil on canvas
unsigned, sitter and lender (Le Blanc) identified on remnant of early 20th-century label on stretcher, various other names and numbers faintly inscribed on stretchers.
Framed.
36" x 28", framed 43" x 34-1/2"

  • Provenance: Descended in the family of the sitter to his son, Juan Manuel de Hoa (1773/75-1821); his son, Pierre "Pedro" Silverion de Hoa (1802-1866); his daughter, Eulalie de Hoa Le Blanc (1839-1915); her daughters, Emilie de Hoa Le Blanc (1870-1941) and Marie de Hoa Le Blanc (1878-1954); [Probably] Succession of Marie de Hoa Le Blanc [Public auction], Ben P. Matthews Auctioneer, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 27-28, 1954; Private collection, New Orleans, Louisiana; Sold in these rooms, September 26, 1999, lot 1045; Private collection, Louisiana.
  • Exhibited: 1903- Colonial Exhibit of the Louisiana Historical Society and Loan Exhibit of Members and Friends, New Orleans, December 20, 1903, no. 384.
    1920-1925, and 1932, lent/exhibited, Louisiana State Museum, registered in Biennial Reports.
    1953- Louisiana Purchase, An Exhibition Prepared by Louisiana State Museum in Co-operation with the Louisiana Landmarks Society [in] the Cabildo, New Orleans, p. 39.
  • Notes: This fine portrait of Jose Antonio de Hoa, the Administrator of the Spanish Royal Custom House of Louisiana and Florida, painted in New Orleans ca. 1793-1795, exemplifies the New World, and bears close stylistic similarities to Salazar's portrait of Governor Sebastian Calvo de la Puerta, Marquis de Caso Calvo, under whom de Hoa served. In a broader context, this portrait presents not only an indelible window into the "Louisiana Territory" under three Sovereign nations, but also a portrait of a man whose grandchildren would become founding families of New Orleans - the de Hoas, Jourdains, De La Rondes and Le Blancs.

    The colony of Louisiana entered Spanish rule in 1763 following the treaty of Paris effectively ending the French and Indian War. King Carlos III bolstered military presence through a series of Bourbon Reforms that fortified the strategic port of New Orleans from British North America thus safeguarding Spain's Mexican mines that extended into Texas. Through the Reforms, large subsidies were dispersed by accomplished administrators and officials like de Hoa and Governor Bernardo de Galvez under whom he first served. A native of Santander Spain, de Hoa was married in 1774 to Antonia de Cacho, and his first son Juan Manuel de Hoa y Cacho, who later followed in his career path as a financial controller, was born within the year. By the early 1780s, de Hoa had been deployed to New Orleans and quickly rose to the appointment of "General Administrator of the Royal Revenues", a title he held until 1789 when he was promoted to "Administrator of the Spanish Royal Customs House" - a position he appears to have maintained through the embattled governorships of de Casa-Calvo and De Salcedo over increasing navigational conflicts with American settlers on the Mississippi River amidst pressure from Napoleon to cede Louisiana back to French control. Within a year of the Louisiana Purchase, de Hoa departs for Havana, Cuba and sells three properties he owned on St. Louis Street. Correspondence with de Hoa and his children in New Orleans persists through 1812.

    Following the death of his son Manuel de Hoa and his wife Rosalie Jourdain, the portrait descended to Pierre de Hoa and his wife Emilie De la Ronde, then to their daughter Eulalie de Hoa-Le Blanc, and her daughters Emilie and Marie. The Le Blancs exhibited the portrait of de Hoa several times over the course of 50 years, as well as the portrait of their mother/grandmother Emilie de la Ronde de Hoa attributed to Francois Bernard, and a portrait of their mother-in-law/grandmother Eliza Moussier Le Blanc by Jacques Amans. The Le Blanc sisters were pivotal figures in the art community of New Orleans at the turn of the century and throughout the first few decades of the 20th century. Both were graduates of Newcomb College and accomplished "art craftsmen" of the pottery trade, who continued their post-graduate studies as instructors. They were active members of several arts societies, including the Colonial Dames, The Arts and Crafts Clubs, and Louisiana Colonials. Marie, the more prolific of the two, received numerous honors and scholarships to study in Chicago, Boston and Paris, before settling back in New Orleans as a drawing instructor for New Orleans Public School. Upon Marie's death in 1954, her Estate was sold at public auction. Ben Matthews auctioneer advertised it as the sale of "One of Louisiana's Families Outstanding in Art" with the "finest portraits by eminent artists."
  • Condition: **In overall good condition with quality restorations. Painting has been relined, retained tacking edges, and restretched with newer, 20th-century stretchers. Under UV light, painting exhibits small scattered inpainted filler and "touch-ups" throughout. Signs of inpainting largely along craquelure patterns, upper center (face and collar) and lower center (letters). Small scattered areas in jacket and hat. Edges with some surface abrasions due to friction with frame edge. Antique gilt frame with some scattered nicks and scratches.

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