MS01.01.03.B02.F10.022

19

listed in the City Directory of New Orleans in 1838 as [strikethrough: a] "professional
artist [strikethrough: as he] "and had achieved a measure of success before coming
to America as he was one of the youngest artists to exhibit in
the Salon in 1831. It is assumed that he returned to Paris, the city
[strikethrough: city of his birth] he never divorced himself from, between the years 1839 - 1940 during which time
he was a pupil of Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, the father of modern photography.
Notice of his relocation to a larger studio [strikethrough: and] where the versatility
of his artistry is ^ [again] signled out for a praise in The New Orleans Bee appeared
[strikethrough: again] in 1843. It read as follows:

"On reference to our advertising columns it
will be seen that MR. J. LION, is prepared to
take likenesses by the Daguerrotype, or Lithographic
process, at his rooms, #3, St. Charles
Street. Mr. Lion is an artist of superior merit,
of which anyone can convince himself by an examination
of the specimens before his office
door. As a Lithographist, he has, perhaps, nor
any equal in the country. His portraits are
distinguished for, their fidelity, correct drawing,
and good taste. His Daguerreotype impressions
are likewise very fine, and he possesses
the art of coloring them - a process by which
that faintness of outline which has been considered
the chief objection to the Daguerrotype, is
made to give place to a strong, bold and durable
impression. Mr. Lion is well deserving of
public patronage." 17

The writer for the New Orleans Bee, in which the above
article appeared, makes no mention of lion/being listed in the
City Directory as being a "free man of color". It would appear,
from the praise that Lion received during his lifetime,
that little attention was paid to the fact his being a
mulatto [strikethrough: as] since his art was sought after by men of all ranks of
society and ^ [he] received wide patronage from all segments of
the community. At various intervals of time, Lion returned
to Paris to visit with relatives and exhibit his new creations.
HE was commissioned by the owner of the NEW ORLEANS BEE to

17 NEW ORLEANS BEE, November 25, 1843, p.2, col 4