It Happened Here--A Royal Sketch

Besides immigrants and refugees in the late 18th and early 19th centuries America attracted quite a few tourists--Europeans curious to see for themselves the "frontier," Indians, and the most intriguing experiment, American Democracy.  Most notable would be Alexis de Toqueville, who would write the classic Democracy In America.   Preceding him would be a trio of brothers, the eldest of whom would become the last King of France*.

Louis Philippe had spent several years wandering in Switzerland, Scandinavia, and Germany. Originally he had supported the French Revolution and served in the Armies of France, but being a member of the aristocracy and a cousin to the king he was always distrusted by the succession of french revolutionary governments. During the Reign of Terror his father was guillotined, his young teenage brothers imprisoned in Marseilles, and he had fled France. Eventually, his mother succeeded in getting the boys released by the more moderate French Directory with a promise that the three would exile themselves in America.

Falls at Letchworth State Park

In October 1796 Louis Philippe  arrived in Philadelphia and was joined by his siblings, the  Duke de Monpensier  and the Comte de Beaujolais a few months later. Determined to see the American frontier the trio, plus Baudoin, Louis Philippe's longtime servant from his earlier exiles, and a dog, whose name has been lost to history, who had shared the younger brothers imprisonment set off. Louis Philippe documented their travels in a journal**.  First they visited the capital city, attending John Adams' inauguration, then they visited Mount Vernon. The newly retired President Washington graciously entertained them and suggested a route, producing a map, marking it out in red ink. Their adventure took them through rural Maryland, backwoods Tennessee and Kentucky, Ohio and western Pennsylvania, before following Lake Erie into New York. A planned highlight of their journey was to be Niagara Falls.  Montpensier produced a sketch and later a painting of the falls. A talented artist, the middle brother might have secured a place for himself in French art history were not most of his works destroyed in the Revolution of 1848. On their way to Rochester the young aristocrats crossed the Genessee river. Beujolais took his older brother's challenge and produced a sketch of the falls on the Genesee that would later be the centerpiece of Letchworth State Park.

Washington St. between Pultney &Main Sts., Geneva

Then on to Geneva, New York, where they stayed at a new three story hotel in the wilderness, built by the incredible Charles Williamson. Williamson, developer/promoter of the vast Poultney landing holdings, would found towns, and build roads, a race track and an opera house to try to attract wealthy farmers, southern planters and investors.** Taking a boat down the length of Seneca Lake, the future king and his brothers landed at Watkins Glen where they explored the glen before continuing south.
They continued on to Mill's Landing, on the site of Catherinestown, home of the powerful Seneca woman Catherine Montour at the beginning of the American Revolution. In the early 19th century the town would become known as Montour Falls. There, Louis Philippe would take his hand at sketching "She-Qua-Ga," "The Tumbling Waters"  The sketch and later painting would survive the Revolution of 1848 to eventually be housed at the Louvre, Paris.

              

End of Genesee St., Montour Falls****

"She-Qua-Ga"

Louis  Philippe would become King after his uncle, Charles X abdicated.  Ironically another sketch (more accurately, a caricature) would contribute to his downfall. It would show a jowly middle aged man, Louis Philippe, gradually devolving into a pear! Other sketches from the pen of Charles Phillipon would also make fun of the King or criticize his actions.  At one point Phillipon was jailed for 6 months, on the charge of "contempt of the king's person". When released, Phillipon continued his stream of caricatures as political support for the king eroded. A better known, more widely circulated version of the pear caricature was produced by artist Honore Daumier. Following its publication the pear became something of a symbol of the rebels, appearing on walls and buildings all over Paris, and eventually France. By 1848, after riots and protests became widespread, Louis Philippe abdicated and fled to England.

*To emphasize his popular support his supporters would call him "King of the French" (the people), not the traditional "King of France" (the territory)
**A short readable account of this trip is available on line.  See Morris Bishop, "Louis Philippe in America," American Heritage, 1969 /www.americanheritage.com/content/louis-philippe-america
***The expansive-thinking Mr Wilkinson will doubtless be the subject of a future post.
 ****The actual date of the sketch was 1796.



Marker of the Week--a question for next time--

What New York town/city gets its name from the Algonquin phrase--
"Uppuqui-ipis-ing" "Reed covered lodge by the watering place"?