Marie Jeanne Amelie Roman (American/N.O.)

Marie Jeanne Amelie Roman (American/New Orleans, 1873-1955) , "St. Augustine Church", 1916, pastel on paper mounted on board, initialed and dated lower left, 12 1/4 in. x 18 in., framed. Note: Born in St. James Parish in 1873, Amelie Roman was the daughter of Edouard Roman and Amelie Fortier – both of whom had prominent Louisiana ancestors such as Michel Fortier, Andre Bienvenue Roman, and Valcour Aime. After studying at Newcomb College, Roman graduated and became a faculty member, where she continued to teach until her retirement in 1939.
Roman painted throughout the city, capturing the charm of the French Quarter, Bayou St. John, Uptown, and Tremé, as demonstrated in the lot presented here. The Church of St. Augustine, located on the corner of Governor Nicholls and Henriette DeLille Streets, is one of the oldest churches in New Orleans, founded in 1841. It was designed by J.N.B. de Pouilly, who was also responsible for the renovation and expansion of St. Louis Cathedral in 1850 and many homes and commercial buildings in the city.
This beautifully rendered pastel faithfully depicts the church with its iconic bell tower and clerestory, as it was in the early twentieth century. Today, the church looks remarkably the same, with few modern renovations. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the archdiocese considered closing the church, however protesters and historic preservationists secured grant money for the restoration. The church was included as one of the original twenty-six sites of the African American Heritage Trail beginning in 2008.