I’m sure that the Shanes have the largest George Rodrigue collection in the world. Their amazing home is absolutely filled with his art as well as the art of other Southern artists, including Clementine Hunter, Hunt Slonem, and James Michalopoulos. In fact, the collection is overwhelming, eclectic, even eccentric. The event was inspired by Rodrigue’s 1971 painting The Aioli Dinner, perhaps Rodrigue’s most famous painting and his first with people. The painting depicts a group of men who referred to themselves as a Gourmet Society gathered around a table on the lawn of plantation home in the New Iberia, Louisiana area. These clubs were in their heyday between 1890 and 1920. Guests at the dinner party/fundraiser were expected to dress like the characters depicted in the painting – which meant mostly black trousers, white shirts and suspenders. The highlight of the auction was an original painting by Hunt Slonem which went for $50,000! I had fun and I hope I have the opportunity to attend another of these dinners in the future.
