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The Historic New Orleans Collection
A realistic statue of an osprey with detailed brown and white feathers, perched on a tree stump base. The ospreys beak is open, and it stands against a neutral gray background.

Birds of a Feather

Wildfowl Carving in Southeast Louisiana

Whether considered as discrete objects or transmitters of a larger folkloric tradition, decoys transcend their material essence. They offer paths to exploring Louisiana’s unique individuals, communities, and cultures.

Birds of a Feather offers an introduction to the art and history of an important Louisiana tradition. Part 1, “Early Working Decoys,” features the utilitarian yet artistic expressions created in seven geographic areas of Louisiana from the mid-nineteenth through the mid-twentieth centuries. Part 2, “Contemporary Carvings,” traces the evolution of decoy carving from a folk art to a competitive art and features decoys by some of today’s most celebrated decorative carvers, including Jimmie Vizier and Tan and Jett Brunet. This catalog accompanied a 2007–8 exhibition at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Two carved wooden ducks are displayed on a blue background beneath text reading Birds of a Feather: Wildfowl Carving in Southeast Louisiana, with exhibition dates and location at the bottom.

Birds of a Feather: Wildfowl Carving in Southeast Louisiana

A detailed wooden carving of a duck against a light blue background, showcasing realistic textures and colors with a glossy brown head, white neck, and intricately painted wings in shades of gray, brown, and green.
A detailed, intricately carved duck decoy with a blue bill, black head, and reddish-brown body is set against an orange background. Its tail feathers are raised, showcasing craftsmanship.

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From the Sky, There’s No Denying Louisiana’s Disappearing Coastline

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The Self-Educated Engineer Who Helped Tame the Mississippi River

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Flood State 048, 2017, photogravure on Japanese kozo paper by Jennifer Shaw.

Flood State

Artist Jennifer Shaw evokes the specter of climate disaster in this photographic series.

A tintype photo shows Caliste Martinez Fucich and S. M. Fucich seated next to each other.

Fucich Family Papers 

In 1867, Sam Fucich immigrated from Croatia to south Louisiana. His seafood business helped grow the industry. 

Antique map of the Americas depicting sea monsters, ships, and detailed coastlines. Illustrative borders show people and mythical figures, hinting at 16th-century cartography style. Landmasses have Latin inscriptions with decorative compass roses.

Historic Maps from “Cartographic Legacies”

Maps are more than visual representations of landscapes and geographic features; they’re also storytellers.

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Virtual exhibitions

Enigmatic Stream: Industrial Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River

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Cover of a book titled Perique featuring a black and white photograph of elderly hands, one holding tobacco leaves while the other sprinkles shredded tobacco. The book is by Charles Martin, part of The Historic New Orleans Collection.

Perique: Photographs by Charles Martin

with essays by Mary Ann Sternberg and John H. Lawrence

A vintage map of the Gulf Coast region, including parts of modern-day Louisiana, Florida, and Texas, is displayed on a green background. The text reads Charting Louisiana and Five Hundred Years of Maps - The Historic New Orleans Collection.

Charting Louisiana: Five Hundred Years of Maps

edited by Alfred E. Lemmon, John T. Magill, and Jason Wiese; consulting editor, John R. Hébert

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