Jules Lion

French, 1810–1866

Lion exhibited at the Salon in Paris between 1831 and 1836. He came to New Orleans, where he was considered a "Free Man of Color," in late 1836 or early 1837. In 1839, Lion returned to Paris, where he learned the patented daguerreotype process from one of Jacques Louis Mandé Daguerre's partners. On March 14, 1840, the New Orleans Bee announced a display of Lion's daguerreotypes at the St. Charles Museum—the first documented exhibition of photographs in Louisiana.

Lion was active as a photographer until about 1843. His main focus, however, was lithographed portraits of prominent Louisianans created between 1837 and 1847. In 1860, he made an unsuccessful attempt to publish about 200 of his portraits in a book entitled Notabilités de la Louisiane. Lion also taught art with Dominique Canova (1800–1868) at the Louisiana College. Near the end of his life, he lithographed sheet music covers with Confederate themes.