José Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza (1750–1802) was a portrait painter fromNew Spain known for being the first painter of significance to work inSpanish colonial New Orleans,Louisiana.[1][2]
Salazar was born to Salvador de Salazar and Feliciana Ojeda y Bazquez on the Yucatán peninsula inMérida, Mexico.[3] He attended theAcademy of San Carlos in Mexico City. In 1782, he moved to New Orleans with his wife, Maria Antonia Magaña (d. 1793) and their two children, a son, José, and daughter, Francisca de Salazar y Magaña, both of whom became artists. Shortly after moving. they had another son, José Casiano. In 1788, their home was destroyed in a fire, and the family moved into a church building. In 1791, the family was living on St. Philip Street, nearSt. Louis Cathedral, where their youngest son, Ramon Rafael de la Crus, was born.[1] Salazar died on August 15, 1802.[4]
Salazar is considered the foremost painter in Spanish Colonial Louisiana.[4] He painted the portraits of many prominent citizens of colonial Louisiana, including members of the church, government and the military. Some of his well-known sitters includeMarianne Celeste Dragon,Don Carlos Trudeau Laveau,Joseph Montegut, Ignacio Balderas,Don Almonaster y Rojas, and Bishop Luis Ignatius Cardenas y Peñalver, among others. His paintings are in the lateBaroque style that was favored in Spanish colonies[1] and show the influence of Mexican provincial styles.[4] The art historian Judith Bonner believes that Salazar's daughter Francisca worked with him due to certain drawing and painting inconsistencies found in his work.[4] His use of transparent glazes and dark backgrounds has been compared toGoya.[4]
Salazar's work is held in many museums. It is included in theLouisiana State Museum collection,[1] theNewcomb Art Museum collection,[5]Worcester Art Museum,[6] and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,[7] among other institutions.
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