Lot 977: George Schmidt (American/Louisiana, b. 1944) "Self Portrait with the King and Queen of Carnival", 1976, oil on canvas, 54" x 68", signed and dated lower right "G. Schmidt 76". Framed. Provenance: Blackamoor Antiques. Note: George Schmidt kindly

George Schmidt (American/Louisiana, b. 1944) "Self Portrait with the King and Queen of Carnival", 1976, oil on canvas, 54" x 68", signed and dated lower right "G. Schmidt 76". Framed. Provenance: Blackamoor Antiques. Note: George Schmidt kindly shared his memories of this painting: "What this painting really is, is an elaborate self portrait. I am the figure in the white tie and tails with my hands up in the air, but I am also standing to the left in a mask and costume I bought on what was formerly Dryades Street, now Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. I must have been reading William Butler Yeats at the time. He had a theory that every artist wears a mask that reveals his true identity. One of my favorite artists is Diego Velazquez, and in this painting I pretended I was like him; a court painter and the rulers of this court are the King and Queen of Carnival. To the right you see Moon Landrieu, the former mayor of New Orleans. I just liked his face and for fun I put a moon in total eclipse above him. Why did I do it? It's like the naked man that jumped in a rose bush, it seemed like a good idea at the time!