Noel Rockmore (American/New Orleans, 1928-1995)

In 1962, Noel Rockmore began the Preservation Hall portrait series in which he painted over 800 portraits of jazz musicians, often in muted colors and solemn poses.  The series was commissioned by E.L. “Larry” Borenstein, an art dealer who is considered the “father” of Preservation Hall, to document the musicians who performed nightly in the club.  Rockmore set up a studio above Preservation Hall where he would paint portraits of the musicians who would visit him during the day.  At night, Rockmore would be in the audience and would paint quick portrait sketches, conveying much of the energy present in the room.  The series was featured in a book published by the LSU Press in 1968.  Today, a collection of the portraits still hangs in the legendary and iconic jazz hall in the French Quarter. 

Amanda Winstead Fine Art has sold many Preservation Hall portraits and is pleased to offer this energetic portrait of “Chicken” Henry, who was a good friend of Rockmore’s and one of his favorite subjects to paint.  Oscar “Chicken” Henry was born on June 8, 1888, in Uptown New Orleans on Coliseum Street.  Henry started playing the piano after his parents bought one for him at the age of 10.  He taught himself the fundamentals with inspiration from second lines and minstrel bands, while also learning from pianist Louise Elder for about five years.  Henry attended Straight University (now Dillard) for two years before learning the plastering trade.  With his love and talent for piano, Henry was a notable pianist in the Storyville red-light district by 1906.

Suffering a burn accident, Henry began exploring with other instruments before connecting with the trombone in 1920 after being gifted one while he was living in Detroit, MI.  Enormously well-traveled, Henry followed work and music around the country.  Returning to New Orleans during the depression era, Henry joined the WPA band, playing in daily concerts for hospitals, playgrounds, convents and numerous other civic organizations.  It was during this time that Henry began to be called “Chick” or “Chicken Henry.”  He also started playing with Kid Howard, eventually performing as a regular member of Howard’s band.  It was in the 1940s that Henry became an alternate trombonist for the Eureka Brass Band, and in 1960, became a regular member of the band, the role for which he is best known.  Henry’s most memorable recording seems to be the 1962 session on Jazz at Preservation Hall, Vol. 1: The Eureka Brass Band of New Orleans.  Henry died on December 14, 1984, in Los Angeles, California.

Rockmore’s depictions of Chicken Henry are unique from his other Preservation Hall portraits for their extensive inscriptions and phrases.  This portrait includes the address for Preservation Hall, “Lincoln Center,” and some rather interesting phrases as well as mathematical equations.  The stylized rendering of the sitter and vibrancy of color distinguishes this portrait from most others in this series.

Reference: Feigenbaum, Gail, Noel Rockmore, Fantasies & Realities, New Orleans Museum of Art, 1998.

Borenstein, Larry and Bill Russell, Preservation Hall Portraits, Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 1968

Oscar Joseph "Chicken" Henry, 1963

oil on masonite, signed and dated upper left, 24 7/8 x 19 1/8 in. archival gilt frame.

SOLD

Henry “Booker T” Glass, 1970

acrylic on masonite, signed and dated lower right, titled and dated en verso, 12 x 16 in., framed. 

SOLD

Portrait of Billie and Dede Pierce, 1963

oil on canvas, signed and dated lower left, 38 x 50 in.

Provenance: Acquired from Larry Borenstein

Illustrated: Borenstein, Larry and Bill Russell, Preservation Hall Portraits, Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 1968, not paginated.

SOLD