One of my favorite committees that I serve on is the Special Events Committee of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art - Louisiana Chapter. I and my other committee members host seasonal virtual lectures to our members and beyond, in hopes that people will gather to appreciate what the classical world can teach us today. In May 2021, we hosted, “Voyage à La Nouvelle-Orléans (22 Fev 1848- 7 Mai 1851): The Incredible Sketchbooks of Gaston de Pontalba” with my dear friend Pierre de Pontalba discussing his ancestor Gaston de Pontalba’s sketchbooks from mid-19th century New Orleans and its environs.
While he was a prolific and talented artist, this talk focused on Gaston de Pontalba’s most important sketchbook. Comparing it with the development of Louisiana today, his drawings make us appreciate the beauty he saw and Louisiana's architectural and cultural heritage in the mid-19th century.
Co-sponsored by the LA Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and the Louisiana Museum Foundation. Pierre de Pontalba was interviewed by Louisiana Museum Foundation (LMF) Executive Director Susan Maclay. The LMF initiated the New Orleans Tricentennial Exhibition, The Baroness de Pontalba and The Rise of Jackson Square at the Cabildo, and hosted Pierre’s parents, the Baron and Baroness de Pontalba and family members, for the LMF Founders Ball in December 2018. Pierre was interviewed from the family's Château de Mont-l’Évêque, the Pontalba family home since about 1805.
In 1848, Gaston de Pontalba (1821-1875), a son of Micaela Almonester, Baroness de Pontalba (1795-1874), accompanied his mother on a “Voyage à La Nouvelle-Orléans from 1848 to 1851." Gaston sketched scenes of his trip from Europe to Philadelphia, to New Orleans, Madisonville and back. Three generations later, Gaston’s great-nephew, Pierre, the family historian, will discuss this incredible sketchbook, and the Baroness de Pontalba’s enduring contribution to the city—the Pontalba townhouses (today referred to as apartments), which she designed and oversaw the building of on that trip. It was her father Don Andrés Almonester, who provided the funding to rebuild St. Louis Church (now known as St. Louis Cathedral), the Cabildo and Presbytère after the 1788 fire. Louisiana’s early history has been well-preserved by the Pontalba family. The LMF continues to work closely with this wonderful family in the effort to share this history.
Pierre, and ultimately his family, were reconnected to Louisiana through a chance meeting at his family’s home with Peter Patout, Historic Property Realtor and ICAA of Louisiana Founding Board Member. While visiting the area some eight years ago, he suddenly recognized Senlis, the town near the Pontalba family château. Peter, being an avid student of Louisiana history and fan of Christina Vella’s acclaimed book, Intimate Enemies: The Two Worlds of the Baroness de Pontalba, knew more about the Pontalba family legacy than then 19 year-old Pierre. After meeting Pierre, Peter taunted him that he couldn’t talk to him unless he read Vella’s book. Pierre accepted the challenge!
Peter’s friendship blossomed to include the Pontalba family and as Pierre’s interest in his heritage grew, Peter organized New Orleans trips for Pierre to review Pontalba related archival materials through the Louisiana State Museum, and to take in the city’s notable sights, which fortuitously included the West Bank Hurricane Protection system, featuring the world’s largest pumping station.
There, Pierre & Peter both met Susan, who was then President of the Board of Commissioners for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West, and importantly, the Executive Director of the Louisiana Museum Foundation.
Susan then had the foresight to invite the Baron and Baroness de Pontalba to be guests of honor at the inaugural Founders Ball to celebrate the Tricentennial of New Orleans in 2018. Thereafter, along with artist Andrew Lamar Hopkins, Susan and Peter came to the conclusion that an exhibit should be considered in connection with the forthcoming Founders Ball and the city’s Tricentennial.
Speaker: Pierre de Pontalba's Biography
Pierre de Pontalba (born 1992) is the fourth-great grandson of Micaela Almonester, Baroness de Pontalba, and the third-great grandnephew of Gaston de Pontalba. He took an interest in his family’s history and its connection to Louisiana through the archives of Mont-l’Évêque, France and through numerous New Orleans trips in recent years organized by Peter.
He has since become the family’s archivist and historian. Pierre studied Political Science and Modern Literature at the Institute Albert Le Grand, and a fourth year of study of Political Science at University Paris. He recently earned an MBA in Economic Intelligence at the École de Guerre Economique, a school dedicated to competitive intelligence.
Pierre continues to delve further into historical research of his family’s archive.
Interviewer: Susan Maclay's Biography
Susan H. Maclay is the Executive Director of the Louisiana Museum Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the museums and collections of the Louisiana State Museum (LSM) system.
Projects in which Maclay was instrumental were: The Baroness de Pontalba and the Rise of Jackson Square exhibition (Cabildo, 2018), and the period costumed-opening, with special guests Charles-Edouard and Isabel, the current Baron and Baroness de Pontalba. She was also instrumental in “Chasing the Butterfly Man: The Search for a Lost New Orleans Cabinetmaker, 1810 -1825” exhibition and catalogue (Cabildo, 2019), curated by PhD candidate Cybèle Gontar.
Currently, Maclay is working with Gontar to bring A Century on Harmony Street: The Kohlmaier Cabinetmakers of New Orleans exhibition and catalogue to the Cabildo (September 2021), and is working with LSM curator Wayne Phillips to bring Rex: The 150th Anniversary of the School of Design exhibition to the Presbytère (January 2022).
Maclay holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Political Science and earned her Master’s Degree of Public Administration at the University of Southern California. She also served for over 10 years as president of one of the post-Katrina reform New Orleans area levee boards.
About Louisiana Museum Foundation
The LMF’s mission is to bring Louisiana's rich history and culture to life through support for the collections, exhibitions and educational programming of the Louisiana State Museum system. Donations, memberships and grants fund LMF’s work. Visit the LMF online and follow on social media!
About Institute of Classical Architecture & Art - Louisiana Chapter
The ICAA-LA's mission is to advance the appreciation and manifest the principles of classical and traditional architecture and its allied arts by engaging practitioners, students, educators, and architecture enthusiasts of Louisiana.
From lectures and book signings by leading proponents, learned historians, historic tours, and continuing our workshops such as today’s exploring the methods and discipline of the Beaux Arts Cannons, the Louisiana Chapter will continue to share and demonstrate the beauty and structure of those principles which form the foundation of our amazing and culturally responsive Architecture and Art.
We share these educational offerings through email (info@kevinharrisarchitect.com), Facebook (@ICAALA) and our website (www.classicist-la.org). Please visit us to become more familiar with our past and future events and to learn more about becoming a member of ICAA-LA.
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