PARIS – The unknown late 19th century and early 20th century artwork of Carrie Tribou will be on exhibit at her former home, the McLaughlin Garden, in South Paris from now until the end of June. The artwork is on display in the parlor of the historic house, where it originally hung for many years of Tribou’s life.
“It means a lot to the McLaughlin Foundation to have this exhibit, because it is from the McLaughlin Family. It shows that we are all working together to preserve this historic site and share it with the public forever,” said the foundation’s Executive Director Michael Desplaines. “We are grateful to Richard Tribou McLaughlin and his children for the loan of this beautiful work,” he added.
Tribou was the second wife of sea Capt. Frederick Chipman Tribou, who owned the historic property located at 97 Main St. in South Paris from the mid-19th century until his death in the 1920s. Carrie and Frederick were the parents of Rena Tribou McLaughlin, who was the wife of the garden founder, Bernard McLaughlin.
The exhibit features landscapes, seascapes and still-lifes in oil, charcoal and pencil, including a stunning seascape in a well-preserved gold-gilded, reeded frame typical of the 19th century. The McLaughlin family also loaned photographs – mostly portraits of the Tribou Family – taken by Norway’s renowned photographer Miss Minnie Libby.
“Carrie was a gifted person and an interesting personality. It is obvious from her artistic creations,” said Richard Tribou McLaughlin, grandson of Tribou and longtime caretaker of the garden his father, Bernard established in 1936.
According to Western Maine Art Group Executive Director Aranka Matolcsy, who facilitated the exhibit, it can be reasonably assumed that Tribou had some art in her educational background, because she employed the use of techniques and different mediums typical to basic art training. Being from an affluent coastal family, it is likely she was sent to art classes at some point during her education.
“She was an amateur artist, but clearly she had significant talent and some training. These are wonderful pieces of a turn of the century style and representation. The seascape is particularly wonderful,” said Matolcsy.
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