Born into slavery, he rose to the top of France's art world
A new exhibition in the U.S. and the Louvre highlights Guillaume Lethière's life as a prominent artist born into slavery. His journey, artworks, abolitionist beliefs, and impact are showcased comprehensively.
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A new exhibition in the U.S. and later at the Louvre in Paris showcases the life and works of Guillaume Lethière, a prominent artist born into slavery in Guadeloupe in 1760. Despite his mixed-race origins, Lethière rose to fame in France during a tumultuous historical period, navigating through the French Revolution, Napoleon's reign, and political complexities. The exhibition, curated by Esther Bell, sheds light on Lethière's journey, from his training as an artist in Rouen to becoming the director of the French Academy in Rome. His artworks, including portraits and historical scenes, reflect his abolitionist beliefs and connections to powerful figures like Napoleon's family. Lethière's legacy extends to Haiti, where he sent a significant painting symbolizing unity and independence. The exhibition at the Clark Art Institute delves into Lethière's life, his artistic evolution, and his enduring impact on art and history, offering a comprehensive view of his remarkable inheritance.
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6 commentsIs this true? I know modern French is troisième, but I'd never seen this before, so I googled. There seems to be nothing on the internet about it, and remarkably few matches for Thière beyond misspellings of théière (teapot), which makes me think the authors of this article just made this up.
> He was born out of wedlock, to Marie-Françoise Dupepaye, a free person of color, and Pierre Guillon, a colonial Royal Notary.
The source for that sentence states his mother was "une esclave affranchie noire" - a freed black slave.
May seem like a small detail, and I'm not sure the Wikipedia page is correct, but I think it's worth correcting the reporting if it is.
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