REVEREND JACQUES MARQUETTE, S.J.

Even more curious than the story of the disappearance of Father Marquette's map are the circumstances surrounding the portrait of the Reverend explorer, which is reproduced herewith. While doubts have been cast on the genuineness of this supposedly contemporary painting, the preponderance of evidence seems to indicate that it is beyond a doubt a genuine portrait. Until about the beginning of the year 1900, more than two hundred years after Father Marquette's death, there was no suspicion that a contemporary painting of him was in existence, although efforts had been made for more than fifty years to find one. It remained for the Canadian artist, Donald Guthrie McNab, by a fortunate accident, to discover what is believed to be the likeness of the great explorer. Mr. McNab, in the winter of 1896-97, while walking along Little Saint James Street, in Montreal, overtook two French boys drawing a hand-cart loaded with rubbish and broken board, on top of which was thrown and old panel, the shape of which attracted his attention. The boys told him the wood had come from an old house, but would give him no further information. They readily parted with the panel, however, for a piece of silver, and it was thrown in a corner of Mr. McNab's studio, where it remained unnoticed until late in 1899, when the artist began to remove the dirt and varnish, with which the face of the picture had been covered. This disclosed a portrait in the style of Rembrandt, the face an unusually fine example of coloring and modeling, and bearing the signature, "R. Roos, 1669." above which are two lines, which are almost totally illegible, but among which it is possible to make out the words, "Marquette de la Confrérie de Jésus." On the back of the panel have been carved the words, "Pere Marquette." but this was evidently done much more recently. Photographs of the portrait fail to show the inscription. As a work of art the portrait is excellent. The details of the face are exquisitely reproduced and the features are as perfect as if taken with a camera. The apparent age of the subject is that of Marquette at that date, and the face has a placidity of expression that corresponds perfectly with what is known of Marquette's gentle and unassuming nature. The strongest evidence that the portrait is a genuine one has been furnished by the Revered A. Hamy, S. J., of Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France, to whom a photograph of the panel was sent, and who found there a descendant of one of Marquette's brothers, whose personal likeness to the face pictured on the panel is most striking. The original panel, from which the photographic reproduction above was made, was exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition by the Missouri Historical Society, which obtained it by loan from Saint Mary's College, Montreal.

Collaboration de Anne Woodhouse.

I do not know the present location of the Marquette portrait. However, years ago it seems to have been photographed here [at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis] (I attach a scan of the photo negative 001-003445). We don’t recognize the number at bottom right as being any number we would have added. Bushnell is best known to us for his interest in and collections of American Indian material, and I imagine that’s how he got interested in the Marquette painting.

Apparently portraits were routinely borrowed for photography in the past, but there is little information about those paintings. Our photo curator says that our negative was made in 1981. However, it could have been made from another negative. We have no other photos of this work. However, our information about this image says that the artist was “R. Roos” and the date was 1669.