Copyright 2011-2019 John N. Lupia, III

Pierre Flandin (1778-1863), was born in Lyons, Rhône, Rhône-Alpes, France, son of Noel Flandin and Suzanne Mathevot.

In 1812, he married Marie-Charlotte Fortunee de Sèze (1795-1867), daughter of Madame de Sèze. They had seven children : two sons J. Eugene Flandin (1820-1870), who in 1858, married Louise Cruger (1835-1876), daughter of Major William E. Cruger; and five daughters, and also Henri Flandin (1824-) : Mathilde Flandin (1813-1908); Clara Flandin (1815-1908), who married Adele Lachathon de la Forest (1794-1869); Marie-Louise Flandin (1817-1894), who married George Pearce; Albertine A. Eveline de Seze Flandin (1821-1855), who married Charles Alphonse Lachathon de la Forest (1812-1884), Consul of France, and an officer who was awarded the Légion d'honneur; Fortunee de Seze Flandin (d. 1855), and Marie Adele Flandin (1830-1907), who, in 1862, married John Howland.

Flandin, a wealthy dealer, had three maids born in Ireland to manage his residence.

In 1823, he was a partner with Peter L. Van DerVoort, merchants, selling "Fancy & Staple Goods", in the firm of Vandervoort & Flandin, which was dissolved on March 22, 1823.

Flandin became a renowned New York City coin and art dealer. He was the art agent for John Trumbull, and John Lewis Krimmel.

Goldstein informs us : "Flandin's chief claim to fame was that one of his customers was Robert Gilmor, Jr., a Baltimore financier and the enthusiastic collector of not only old master paintings but also works by modern English and American artists. However, not all the pictures Flandin sold Gilmor had the pedigree that the dealer claimed for them. A "Holbein" for instance, eventually proved to be the work of Cornelius de Lyons, and a "Raphael" which Gilmor questioned even as he paid for it, the work of Jan Grossart." [1]

From 1833-1835, he was the treasurer of the American Academy of Fine Arts (founded in 1820).

He was an importer of art and antiques with a gallery on Broadway, New York City, New York. His residence was at 20 East 18th Street.

In June 1840, Flandin sued artist Mr. Baker, for a scandalous caricature drawn of the French Consul of New York engaging in a suggestive way with his two daughters, one married the Consul the following year.

In 1841, he was a founding member of the Brooklyn Institute and was a member of the Board of Directors. He donated paintings to their annual exhibition.

On March 21, 1855, his daughter Fortunee de Seze Flandin died.

On June 6, 1855, he sold his coin collection at Bangs, Brother & Company.

The Flandin collection comprised 230 lots of 1,195 coins. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library. SOLD

Flandin's bookplate in the presentation copy given him by Charles Ira Bushnell. Heraldic Shield with a Dragon's head left chief of the Escutcheon fess Lion Rampant above a Fleur de lis, an Escrol beneath the Shield inscribed with the Motto of an old Latin Proverb : "Altius Ibunt Qui Ad Summa Nituntur" ("They will go higher who aim at the highest things."). Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library

A letter written by Charles Ira Bushnell to Pierre Flandin bound in the presentation copy of the Bangs coin auction sale held June 6, 1855. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library

The letter informs Flandin that Bushnell called to see him in person would be glad to have the pleasure of a visit from him at his office Broadway and would wish to see him at his earliest.

Two newspaper clippings regarding the coin auction at Bangs pasted in the presentation copy. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library

Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

The New York Times report on the sale of the Groux collection held Friday February 15, 1856, Bangs, Brother & Company, New York. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

[Left] another newspaper clipping about the Groux sale. [Right] The Bangs Broadside folded-up inside bound-in of the Groux collection with prices and names. The Broadside has a tear and one panel is detached, but all present without any loss. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

William. J. Howard's report of his May 17, 1856 coin auction sale held at Leavitt, Delisser & Company published in the New York Dispatch. Attinelli has no consignor. This copy reveals it belonged too Howard. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

Howard Sale May 17th, 1856 Leavitt, Delisser & Company, addendum cut and pasted in on three leaves and bound-in with two other coin auction catalogues. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

He died at the age of 82 years on Thursday, October 8, 1863. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Long Island, New York.

NOTES

[1] Malcolm Goldstein, Landscape with Figures: A History of Art Dealing in the United States (Oxford University Press, 2000) : 6

Bibliography :

Evening Post, Wednesday, March 26, 1823.

Baltimore Sun, Thursday, June 4, 1840

Brooklyn Evening Star, Wednesday, February 3, 1841

The Numismatist,

Catherine Hoover, "The Influence of David Wilkie's Prints on the Genre Paintings of William Sidney Mount," The American Art Journal, Vol. 13, No. 3 Summer, (1981) : 4-33

Milo M. Naeve, John Lewis Krimmel : An Artist in Federal America (University of Delaware Press, 1987) : 24, 80, 89, 90, 91

John W. Adams, United States Numismatic Literature, Vol. 1