Matthew Harris Jouett
C/E
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==Personal life and career== |
==Personal life and career== |
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Jouett was the son of Sallie Robards and [[Jack Jouett]], a hero of the [[American Revolution]]. The |
Jouett was the son of Sallie Robards and [[Jack Jouett]], a hero of the [[American Revolution]]. The younger Jouett graduated from [[Transylvania University]]. He studied law in Frankfort, Kentucky for one year with the chief justice of Kentucky's Appelate Court, [[George M. Bibb|Judge George M. Bibb]]. The father supposedly commented about the son's career "I sent Matthew to college to make a gentleman of him, and he has turned out to be nothing but a damned sign painter."{{sfn|Pennington|2011|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sV12204GZC8C&pg=PA228 228]}} |
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[[File:Thomas Jefferson by Matthew Harris Jouett.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]]]] |
[[File:Thomas Jefferson by Matthew Harris Jouett.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]]]] |
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Jouett served as a volunteer officer of the 28th Kentucky Infantry in the [[War of 1812]] and was among the survivors of the [[Battle of Frenchtown]]. The company payroll of $6000 disappeared during the slaughter. Jouett restored the missing funds to the militia, based on his earnings as a painter. He also painted portraits of his fellow soldiers from memory, including Hart and Colonel Allen.{{sfn|Pennington| |
Jouett served as a volunteer officer of the 28th Kentucky Infantry in the [[War of 1812]] and was among the survivors of the [[Battle of Frenchtown]]. The company payroll of $6000 disappeared during the slaughter. Jouett restored the missing funds to the militia, based on his earnings as a painter. He also painted portraits of his fellow soldiers from memory, including Hart and Colonel Allen.{{sfn|Pennington|2011|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sV12204GZC8C&pg=PA172 172]}} |
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[[File:Catherine Cornelia Prather.png|thumb|Portrait of Catherine Cornelia Prather]] |
[[File:Catherine Cornelia Prather.png|thumb|Portrait of Catherine Cornelia Prather]] |
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Matthew Harris Jouett married Margaret "Peggy" Henderson Allen of Lexington, Kentucky on May 25, 1812. They had nine children.{{cite book|editor-last1=Kleber|first1=John|editor-last2= Clark|editor-first2=Thomas D. |editor-last3=Harrison |editor-first3= Lowell H.|editor-last4=Klotter |editor-first4=James C. |author=(uncredited)|title=The Encyclopedia of Louisville|date=January 13, 2015|orig-year=First published 1992|location=University of Kentucky Press|isbn=978-0813121000|pages=481–482|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcceBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA481|access-date=27 July 2016}} |
Matthew Harris Jouett married Margaret "Peggy" Henderson Allen of Lexington, Kentucky on May 25, 1812. They had nine children.{{cite book|editor-last1=Kleber|first1=John|editor-last2= Clark|editor-first2=Thomas D. |editor-last3=Harrison |editor-first3= Lowell H.|editor-last4=Klotter |editor-first4=James C. |author=(uncredited)|title=The Encyclopedia of Louisville|date=January 13, 2015|orig-year=First published 1992|location=University of Kentucky Press|isbn=978-0813121000|pages=481–482|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcceBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA481|access-date=27 July 2016}} Jouett was promoted to captain during the War of 1812. Afterwards, he studied portraiture and went to Boston to study with [[Gilbert Stuart]] in 1816. |
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He painted in [[New Orleans]] from 1817 to 1827 during the winter season and was listed in the 1824 New Orleans Directory as a portrait painter working at 49 Canal Street.{{cite book|title=Biennial Report of the Board of Curators of the Louisiana State Museum to His Excellency, the Governor and the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J5tJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA35|date=1 January 1922|publisher=[[Louisiana State Museum]]|page=35|access-date=28 July 2016}} He was commissioned by the Kentucky legislature to paint a portrait of the [[Marquis de Lafayette]]. Jouett also painted [[Thomas Jefferson]] and the child Catherine Cornelia Prather. |
He painted in [[New Orleans]] from 1817 to 1827 during the winter season and was listed in the 1824 New Orleans Directory as a portrait painter working at 49 Canal Street.{{cite book|title=Biennial Report of the Board of Curators of the Louisiana State Museum to His Excellency, the Governor and the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J5tJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA35|date=1 January 1922|publisher=[[Louisiana State Museum]]|page=35|access-date=28 July 2016}} He was commissioned by the Kentucky legislature to paint a portrait of the [[Marquis de Lafayette]]. Jouett also painted [[Thomas Jefferson]] and the child Catherine Cornelia Prather. |
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It wasn't until the [[World's Columbian Exposition|1893 Chicago World Fair]], that his fame as a painter began. His paintings were greatly appreciated by the curators and the general public. His work is more collectible today than it was during his lifetime, and as such catches higher prices.{{cite book|last1=Price|first1=Samuel|title=The Old Masters of the Bluegrass :Jouett, Bush, Grimes, Frazer, Morgan, Hart|date=1 January 1902|publisher=University of Michigan Library|location=Michigan|page=31|isbn=9780722249352|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FJQvAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA31|access-date=28 July 2016}} |
It wasn't until the [[World's Columbian Exposition|1893 Chicago World Fair]], that his fame as a painter began. His paintings were greatly appreciated by the curators and the general public. His work is more collectible today than it was during his lifetime, and as such catches higher prices. |
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Jouett became one of the most highly esteemed portrait painters in the United States, honored with a major centenary exhibition at the [[Speed Museum]] in his home state. |
Jouett became one of the most highly esteemed portrait painters in the United States, honored with a major centenary exhibition at the [[Speed Museum]] in his home state. |
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Matthew Jouett died in [[Lexington, Kentucky]] in 1827 is buried in [[Cave Hill Cemetery]].{{cite book|last1=Price|first1=Samuel|title=The Old Masters of the Bluegrass :Jouett, Bush, Grimes, Frazer, Morgan, Hart|date=1 January 1902|publisher=University of Michigan Library|location=Michigan|page=48|isbn=9780722249352|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FJQvAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA48|access-date=30 April 2022}} |
Matthew Jouett died in [[Lexington, Kentucky]] in 1827 is buried in [[Cave Hill Cemetery]]. |
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==Selected works== |
==Selected works== |
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File:Tobias Gibson.jpg|''Tobias Gibson'', c. 1825–1827, [[Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts]] |
File:Tobias Gibson.jpg|''Tobias Gibson'', c. 1825–1827, [[Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts]] |
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==See also== |
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[[James Edward Jouett]] - one of Matthew Harris Jouett's sons, is immortalized in [[David Farragut|Admiral David Farragut's]] quote from the [[American Civil War]] [[Battle of Mobile Bay]] - "Damn the torpedoes! Four bells! Captain Drayton go ahead! Jouett full speed!" |
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==References== |
==References== |
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|last1=Pennington |
|last1=Pennington |
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|first1=Estill Curtis |
|first1=Estill Curtis |
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|last2=Miles |
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|first2=Ellen G. |
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|title=Lessons in Likeness: Portrait Painters in Kentucky and the Ohio River Valley, 1802-1920 |
|title=Lessons in Likeness: Portrait Painters in Kentucky and the Ohio River Valley, 1802-1920 |
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|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lrunGfFB3MQC&pg=PT297 |
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lrunGfFB3MQC&pg=PT297 |
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|access-date=July 27, 2016 |
|access-date=July 27, 2016 |
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|year= |
|year=2011 |
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|publisher=University Press of Kentucky |
|publisher=University Press of Kentucky |
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|location=Lexington |
|location=Lexington |
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