This is a very cool photo posted in the Facebook group Souvenirs d’Amérique française today. The title is Officier des Compagnies Franches de la Marine (Officer of the Companies of the French Marines) painted in France by Joseph Vernet in 1754.

In this same year – 1754 – Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines had already served as an Officer of the French Marines with Governor Vaudreuil in New Orleans for 8 years and then at the Fort de Chartres in the Pays des Illinois under Commandant Jean Jacques MaCarty Mactigue for 3 years. As an Officer of the French Marines, he would’ve been dressed like this. However, in 1754, it was still 4 years before he would marry Elisabeth de Moncharvaux, so the woman at the Officer’s side would not yet been at Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines’ side yet. Still gives a cool glimpse at the appearance of a French Officer in 1754, which Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines had been for 11 years.