Earl Barthé
Encyclopedia
Earl Barthé was an American plasterer
and plastering historian
. A self-described "Creole of Color", Barthé is particularly admired for preserving many of the old plaster walls and ornamental cornices for historic structures within New Orleans. His family company specializes in historical and decorative plasterwork
and the Barthé family has been plastering since 1850.
The Barthé family settled in New Orleans in the early 19th century and the family business was established by Barthé's great-great-grandfather, a master plasterer from Nice, France, who married a woman from Haiti
. The family was known in the term of the time as "free people of color." Over the years, the family has worked on many historic buildings. Most of the fine hotels and old stores along Canal Street
as well as the mansions and the cemeteries' tombs on St. Charles Avenue
include work by Barthé and his family. Barthé's father worked on such historic buildings as the Saint Louis Cathedral, the French Market
, and the Saenger Theater. Barthé has also worked on several notable projects and is known for decorative plaster and stucco
work that reflects an array of French, Spanish, Anglo-American neo-classical, and African American aesthetics, in sync with the historic architecture of New Orleans. For his work, Barthé was inducted into the Louisiana AFL-CIO Labor Hall of Fame. Today, Barthé's daughter, Terry Barthé, leads the family business.
In 2001, Barthé was documented as part of the New Orleans Building Arts Project which culminated in an exhibit of his work along with other New Orleans trade artists entitled, Raised to the Trade: Creole Building Arts in New Orleans. The exhibit toured throughout the United States including presentations at the New Orleans Museum of Art
and the Smithsonian Institution
's Folklife Festival. He also received a National Heritage Fellowship
from the National Endowment for the Arts
in 2005. Recently, Barthé has spent much of his time helping to restore historic buildings in New Orleans that were damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Katrina
.
Plasterer
A plasterer is a tradesman who works with plaster, such as forming a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls...
and plastering historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. A self-described "Creole of Color", Barthé is particularly admired for preserving many of the old plaster walls and ornamental cornices for historic structures within New Orleans. His family company specializes in historical and decorative plasterwork
Plasterwork
Plasterwork refers to construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called pargeting...
and the Barthé family has been plastering since 1850.
The Barthé family settled in New Orleans in the early 19th century and the family business was established by Barthé's great-great-grandfather, a master plasterer from Nice, France, who married a woman from Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. The family was known in the term of the time as "free people of color." Over the years, the family has worked on many historic buildings. Most of the fine hotels and old stores along Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
as well as the mansions and the cemeteries' tombs on St. Charles Avenue
St. Charles Avenue
St. Charles Avenue is a thoroughfare in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. and the home of the St. Charles Streetcar Line. It is also famous for the hundreds of mansions that adorn the tree-lined boulevard for much of the Uptown section of the route. The southern live oak trees, particularly found in...
include work by Barthé and his family. Barthé's father worked on such historic buildings as the Saint Louis Cathedral, the French Market
French Market
The French Market is a market and series of commercial buildings in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.It stretches just inland from the Mississippi River in the section of the French Quarter downriver from Jackson Square, with the famous Café du Monde at the upriver end, down to the...
, and the Saenger Theater. Barthé has also worked on several notable projects and is known for decorative plaster and stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
work that reflects an array of French, Spanish, Anglo-American neo-classical, and African American aesthetics, in sync with the historic architecture of New Orleans. For his work, Barthé was inducted into the Louisiana AFL-CIO Labor Hall of Fame. Today, Barthé's daughter, Terry Barthé, leads the family business.
In 2001, Barthé was documented as part of the New Orleans Building Arts Project which culminated in an exhibit of his work along with other New Orleans trade artists entitled, Raised to the Trade: Creole Building Arts in New Orleans. The exhibit toured throughout the United States including presentations at the New Orleans Museum of Art
New Orleans Museum of Art
The New Orleans Museum of Art is the oldest fine arts museum in the city of New Orleans. It is situated within City Park, a short distance from the intersection of Carrollton Avenue and Esplanade Avenue, and near the terminus of the "Canal Street - City Park" streetcar line...
and the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's Folklife Festival. He also received a National Heritage Fellowship
National Heritage Fellowship
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts...
from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
in 2005. Recently, Barthé has spent much of his time helping to restore historic buildings in New Orleans that were damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.