Artist Details
| Artist Name | Jules Tavernier |
|---|---|
| Born | 1844 in Paris, France |
| Died | 1889 in Honolulu, Hawaii |
Artist Biography
Jules Tavernier was a French academically trained artist who arrived in the United States in 1871, never to return home. In a 1911 San Francisco newspaper article, Ida L. Brooks described Tavernier as "free born, unconventional as the wind, ignorer of public opinion, generous, interesting, erratic, improvident, high strung-- all of these things he was in the superlative." In 1873, Tavernier and fellow French educated artist Paul Frenzeny were hired by Harper’s Weekly magazine to travel across the American continent to illustrate their adventurous encounters beyond the established railroad routes. In 1874, Tavernier spent two months in Nebraska producing painted sketches of Native American encampments, the annual Sioux sun dance, Pine Ridge, and Chimney Rock. He was given many Native American artifacts by the Teton Dakota Indian chief Sitting Bull, the leader who united the Sioux tribes in their battle for survival. Tavernier would later use his painted sketches and artifacts to complete oil paintings in his studios in California and Hawaii. His sustained fascination and affection for the Native American people continued to inspire him throughout his life.
