Lethière, was a “mixed race” French academic artist and painter born in the Americas; and has been often written about within the context of French colonial history and the “Black History.” Guillaume Guillon-Lethière was the son of a “mulatto” mother and French colonial administrator; Lethière was encouraged to be an artist by both his father and mother. Seeing he had talent and later paid for his to return to France and go to art school in Paris.
He later launched and ran a successful art school and salon, that was a direct competitor to the famous Jacques-Louis David. Both men were friends and often invited each other to see their work.
