George Louis Viavant (American/Louisiana, 1872)

George Louis Viavant (American/Louisiana, 1872-1925), "Nature Morte: Pintail Drake", 1913, watercolor on paperboard, signed, dated and inscribed "N.O." lower left, 28 3/4 in. x 21 1/4 in., framed . Provenance: Acquired from the artist; thence by descent. Note: Descended in an important New Orleans family, this meticulously detailed watercolor by George Louis Viavant of a pintail drake was acquired directly from the artist and has been maintained in pristine condition. A lifelong New Orleanian, Viavant’s paintings of fresh game from his hunts along the swamps and bayous surrounding the city were his particular forte. Only two artists in Louisiana, Viavant and Achille Perelli, worked predominantly in the nature morte genre, an historic and nationally popular subject matter which seemed a perfect fit given Louisiana’s reputation as a hunter’s paradise with a wide variety of wildlife species. During his career, Viavant successfully invented a tool for modifying a camel-hair brush that allowed him to scrumble the gouache and watercolor until he achieved the exact hues and texture needed in the brief time allowed by the medium. He often spent three to four days on one painting, and his attention to detail accomplished “a completely accurate image in line, texture, and color of the fish and fowl he and his friends hunted throughout his lifetime.” According to Viavant biographer and expert George E. Jordan regarding the pintail drake offered here: "This is Viavant at his finest! Every piece is detailed to perfection! Such a beauty!"
Ref.: Jordan, George E. George L. Viavant: Artist of the Hunt. New Orleans: The Historic New Orleans Collection, 2003.
Neal Auction Company would like to thank George E. Jordan for his assistance with this note.