This is a 20×24 painting I did of Louis Coulon with a little black kitten in his beard. I had seen the old early 1900’s photo before and always thought of him as a sea captain but turns out he was a French factory worker who became well known because of his 11-ft beard, which he wore wrapped around him several times. In his later years he was frequently photographed with various things like birds and cats nestled in his beard.
This weird guy holds a special place for in my heart. I was reminded of him when, on a family vacation to Charleston, we came across Beardcat Sweet Shop on Sullivan’s Island. Island while on vacation. Not only did they have AMAZING ice cream, but their entire brand is built around this famous photo. I knew then that I needed to paint him.
