William Hemmerling (American/Louisiana, 1943-2009), "New Orleans", mixed media on bed sheet, signed lower right, titled lower center, 103 in. x 86 1/4 in., unframed Provenance: Collection of Wendy and the late George (1944-2013) Rodrigue. Note: William "Bill" Hemmerling was born in Chicago and moved to his mother's hometown of Ponchatoula, Louisiana as a young man, where he worked as a window dresser for Sears & Roebuck until 2002. Upon retirement, Hemmerling began painting in his own distinctive style on wood and found objects. His subjects ranged from jazz musicians to a series of works inspired by African American history and culture. In "New Orleans" offered here, Hemmerling depicts the Young Men Olympian Jr. Benevolent Association during a second line parade. YMO is the oldest benevolent association in New Orleans and continues to maintain the goals, ideals and format it forged at the turn of the century. The group was formed by ten African American men on September 3, 1884. At the time, the African American community in New Orleans was experiencing soaring mortality rates; recovering from an 1882 Mississippi River flood; and undergoing federal civil rights protections that accompanied Reconstruction being replaced beginning in 1877 with disenfranchising Jim Crow laws. A mainstay of the community, the YMO, supported by dues and fundraisers, protected members in times of illness and defrayed the cost of funerals—complete with jazz bands, tombs and a stipend for the deceased’s family. As the club has evolved and grown dramatically over the years, passing down the tradition of second lining from generation to generation has been another important goal. The support provided by YMO continues to be felt in the community to this day. The emotions, cultural history and visual spectacle of the second line would have appealed greatly to Hemmerling and almost certainly guided his choice in subject matter when approaching such a large "canvas." His love of people and enthusiasm for Louisiana's culture is clear and helps to lend an energy and sense of excitement to the classic New Orleans subject. Another iconic Louisiana artist, George Rodrigue developed a friendship with Hemmerling, often visiting him in Ponchatoula with gifts of art supplies and art books. Rodrigue greatly admired his friend's work and was quoted in 2005 upon the debut of Hemmerling's official Jazz Fest poster as saying: "Hemmerling is a pure artist. He paints from his heart, from his soul, he really paints what he feels…and the paintings are honest and straightforward. It's beautiful art." Rodrigue himself selected this masterwork for his and Wendy's personal collection, and the monumental scene hung in a place of honor in the Rodrigue's home in New Orleans for many years. Ref.: Odell, Jennifer. "Young Men Olympian Celebrates its 130-Year Anniversary." Offbeat Magazine. May 1, 2014