Here are works and some dated items produced along the wandering steps of Léon Trousset that our family has recorded. They are listed in order of the dates on them, or if the date is missing, they are arranged in the known order of the cities that he traveled. This may indicate the direction his travels took him.
By Tracy Trousset, May 2006.

1867-Uvalde County, Texas. FORT INGE-Léon's first known work. Held at Freedman's Museum in Washington, D.C. under misspelled name of Grousset. Also see this same drawing on a book cover entitled FORT INGE by Thomas Tyree Smith. Signed.

1867-Texas-Drawings of American Forts: Fort Davis; View of Limpias Mountains from Varela Springs (Texas); A View Near Horse Shoe Bend, Pecos River ,(Texas); Crossing of Devil River. National Archives. His name may be misspelled Grousset at the National Archives. All are signed Léon Trousset.

1869, August-Tucson, Arizona--Part One, DISCOURAGEMENTS POEM, Trousset Family collection.
Signed Léon Trousset.

1869-July 25, 1885 article in RIO GRANDE REPUBLICAN (Las Cruces) said "Sixteen years ago Léon Trousset, a French artist, who is also something of a Bohemian, stopped for a while in Las Cruces and painted a picture of the town, with the Organ mountains for a background. . . . .

1869 Mesilla, New Mexico. OLD MESILLA PLAZA. This painting may be spoken of in the above news article. The Smithsonian American Art Museum, where this painting is held, gives the painting the date of 1885-1886, but now there is more information known about Leon and his travels than previously.
Oil on canvas, 29 9/16 x 48 ½. Mesilla is South of Las Cruces with Organ Mtns. in the background.

1870-1873 missing years.

1874, April 10-Matzatlan, Mexico--Part Two, DISCOURAGEMENTS POEM, Trousset Family collection. Signed Léon Trousset.

1875-Oakland, California. VIEW OF OAKLAND ACROSS LAKE MERRITT, also called ADAM'S POINT. Was on loan to Oakland Museum, Oakland, California until 1999. . Signed and dated. 27 X 34.

1875-Monterey, California. CITY OF MONTEREY-Amon Carter Museum of Western Art,
Fort Worth, TX. Prominently signed and dated Nov. 1, 1875. Watercolor, ink and gouache on paper, 20 X 46.

1875-Sonoma, California. Vue de l'interieur-Aguillon Winery. Collection unknown.

1875-Sonoma, California. Vue de la Maison de M.M.C. Aguillon Winery et Robin. Collection unknown.

Undated-Sonoma, California. VIEW OF SONOMA. Sold by Butterfield's Auction House, Collection unknown. I have no copy of this one.

1875-Sonoma, California. VIEW OF J.A. POPPE'S STORE in Sonoma. On loan in Santa Rosa Museum. 15 x 20 ½ inches. Owned by unknown private collector. We have black and white copy from an auction book. Attributed to Léon Trousset.

(undated)--LIVERMORE VINEYARDS (in the Livermore Valley of California), this untitled painting, watercolor, pen and ink, approximately 1.5 by 2.5 feet,
is said to be in the Livermore area.
It is quite detailed and shows the buildings, the vineyards and Chinese picking grapes. It is signed in the lower right corner with a very small written signature.
It is signed, "L. Trousset." It was sold to an unknown buyer on March 16, 2006 from the Argonaut Book Shop in San Francisco, CA.
Before that, the painting was purchased in San Francisco from a woman who had it on her wall for many, many years.
As to the provenance prior to that, the only clue is a penciled note on the back of the picture by an early picture framer who stated,
"Mr. Freudenstein. Trim frame to fit the picture." Freudenstein was probably the prior owner.
Leon was known to be in northern California from 1875-1877. He could have returned there during his "missing years" of 1888-1894.

1876-Religious Painting-The ASSUMPTION OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: a reproduction by Léon of an unknown 17th Century painting. Owned by the Catholic Church and it has hung in the Chapel at Mission San Luis Rey since about the 1930's. Signed and dated. 121" x 84" oil on canvas.

1876-Religious Painting-The RESURRECTION OF CHRIST-is a reproduction of an unknown 17th Century painting. Owned by the Catholic Church and it has hung in the Chapel at Mission San Luis Rey since the 1930's. Signed and dated. The name may not be accurate. We have snapshot taken Jan. 21, 2005.

1876-Santa Cruz-VIEW OF SANTA CRUZ-40 X 58. In the collection of Mission Santa Cruz, Holy Cross Church, it is currently on display in Museum of Art and History, Santa Cruz. Signature peeled but red paint of it still shows. Dated by Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper articles on Aug. 12 and Aug. 19, 1876, announcing its raffle; announcing its purchase, and by historical facts. We have only a photo.

Undated-Santa Cruz. MISSION SANTA CRUZ-Santa Cruz Mission. Probably 1876. 408-426-5686. 20 X 30.

1876-November 17-San Francisco--Part Three of DISCOURAGEMENTS POEM, written in San Francisco, Trousset Family collection. Signed Léon Trousset.

Undated-View of San Francisco city and bay, FRENCH SCHOOL, catalog says oil on canvas circa 1856
(this is to early), 19 x 25 1/2, ex collection of Joseph Toschi, San Francisco. Undated? Unsigned?
Sold at Butterfield & Butterfield, San Francisco: April 25, 1985.

1876-Castroville, California. MOSS LANDING AT CASTROVILLE, Our Lady of Refuge Church, 11140 Preston Street. 408-633-4015. Signed and dated. This painting on book cover of SALINAS, AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, by Verardo and Verardo. 52 X 70. We have snap shot and book with cover.

1876-Monterey-FOUNDING OF MONTEREY MISSION. Watercolor on paper,
A.R. White Collection. Signed and dated. 23 x 35.

1877-Carmel--FATHER SERRA CELEBRATES MASS AT MONTEREY. Carmel Mission Collection, CA. Signed and dated. Oil on canvas. It hangs in the gift shop.
The Priest faces the alter.

1877-Carmel-FATHER SERRA'S LANDING PLACE OR CELEBRATION OF THE FIRST MASS. I have a color copy of this second painting. Location unknown.
Priest faces away from alter.

Undated-San Luis Obispo, California. VIEW OF SAN LUIS OBISPO. Mission San Luis Obispo Collection. 72x120. Oil on canvas.

1879-Durango, MX VIEW OF DURANGO, Sotheby's # 124. Collection unknown. Has self portrait of the artist as a painter with his easel.

1879--Mexico, VIEW OF DURANGO in black and white, with a self-portrait of the artist as a painter with his easel. Original could be in color with this black and white a copy from a Sotheby's catalog. Oil on canvas, measuring 33 7/8 by 45 5/8 inches, or 86 by 115.8 cm, (BB). Location unknown.

Durango, Mexico, VIEW OF DURANGO AND THE CERRO DE LOS REMEDIOS,
This painting is on display at the Museo Regional de Durango, in downtown Durango, Durango.
Lic. Luis Lazalde is director of the museum. It is almost identical to VIEW OF DURANGO. However, the painter and his easel have been replaced by three horsemen. It is an excellent example of Trousset's style and work in which he clearly divides the visual field in three parts: a dark foreground which includes horsemen and people either walking or standing around that occupies anywhere from a quarter to a third of the visual field; a detailed central focus that also occupies anywhere from a quarter to a third of the field, and a lighter background dominated by a cloudy sky. (BB)

Undated- Mexico; LA FABRICA DEL TUNAL; PRIMERA VISTA, Susan Dowd Family Collection.

Undated-Mexico; LA FABRICA DEL TUNAL; SEGUNDO VISTA, Susan Dowd Family Collection.
Paintings depict a textile factory called La Fabrica de Textiles El Tunal (the River in Paintings is El Tunal).
The factory had its own currency printed and it appears that the engraver copied PRIMERA VISTA to the back of the bank notes.
Bank notes are dated 1884. Therefore it is thought the paintings were done sometime in the late 1870's to the early 1880's.
PRIMERA VISTA is also on the company letterhead. (B.B.)

1882--Ciudad Incarnación de Diaz, dated Noviembre de 1882 and signed Léon Trousset.

1882-Léon, Guanajuato, Sept. 13, 1882. Signed L. Trousset and dated. Title is LEON.

1882-Lagos, Octubre 1882., dated and signed León Trousset. Title is LAGOS, OCTUBRE 1882.

1883-Mexico--drawings of Mexico in Posada book. (Also dated 1884-1888)

1883-San Marcos, Mexico. Trousset Family Collection since 2003; Signed, dated and inscribed:
'Vista de San Marcos-Aquascalientes, Octobre, 1883. Léon Trousset.' Oil on canvas, 33 ¾ x 51 ¼.

1883-Aquascalientes-so named and dated as it is a lithograph of the previous painting. This copy was done by Jose Guadalupe Posada.

1883-AQUASCALIENTES (town and state), MX. PLAZA DE SAN MARCOS, similar to above but in black and white. Ben Brown thinks it may be a lithograph copy by Posada of Léon's above painting.

1884-Chihuahua, Mexico. CHIHUAHUA OLD CITY PLAZA. Museo Historico de Ciudad Juarez, Juarez, Mexico. Dated, oil on canvas. Contact: Ben Brown

1885-El Paso, Texas, Friday morning, January 23, 1885: a news article entitled: A FINE OIL PAINTING OF EL PASO. "The work of Léon Trousset will be raffled at the Acme saloon: 60 chances, one dollar each. Let everybody see it."

1885-Rio Grande Republican (Las Cruces), July 25, 1885 reported: ". . . . This summer his wandering footsteps brought him back again and for the second time he reproduced the beautiful view. Wednesday night this painting was raffled off at the Monarch saloon and Charles McCarty, of Socorro threw 46, the high dice that won it . . . . "

1885--Rio Grande Republican (Las Cruces), July 25, 1885 reported: ". . . . The artist is now engaged on a general view of (this place) which will also be raffled." (Where is this painting?)1885--El Paso, Texas. VIEW OF EL PASO, sold at Sotheby's June 1997. It is now at El Paso Museum of Art, Downtown El Paso. Sam Moore (and family) was the buyer. 39 x 60.

1885-PAS DEL NORTE 1885. This painting is in El Paso Museum of History in El Paso, signed:
"Copia P. Calvo." Researchers question if this is a copy of a Trousset painting. This is an early painting of El Paso?

1885-Socorro, New Mexico. SOCORRO COURT HOUSE. Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico. 29 ½ x 43 ½. dated and signed L. Trousset. (the court house burned down).

1885-Albuquerque Museum, New Mexico. ALBUQUERQUE (OLD TOWN), dated and signed Léon Trousset. Albuquerque Museum of Art Collection. Also appears on dust jacket of Marc Simmons book entitled ALBUQUERQUE.

1885-Albuquerque Museum, New Mexico: NEW TOWN ALBUQUERQUE (Mentioned by Dr. Frederick Kluck in his Paper to the Texas State Historical Association.) The New Town view shows the railroad in the newer part of town which is 2 miles east in the painting. Dated and signed Léon Trousset.

1886-Socorro Public Library, New Mexico, Signed Léon Trousset on right and inscribed PARK CITY & BILLING SMELTER VIEW September 1886 on the left. M Mountain in the background. Park City disappeared at the turn of century when the smelter was no longer in use.

1886-SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO (San Miguel Convent and Church).
35 ½ x 54. Located in Zaplin Lampert Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Signed. And a funky date added later.

1887-Las Cruces, New Mexico, OLD LAS CRUCES, about 3 ½ ft. x 5 ft. Currently located in Citizens Bank in Las Cruces. Before that, it was last seen hanging on the north wall of the Palmilla club on Main St., June 6, 1908, as reported in the El Paso Herald on that date. "The foreground of the historic old picture shows the Santa Fe depot, the same old one that is still doing service, with an A.T. & S.F. freight car being unloaded into a mountain wagon. A wagonette is just going away from the station with a load of passengers. The new court house is surrounded by a waste tract of land. The only building near it is the old jail on the rear of the court house lot. On the square where the W.I.A. park is now located, a cow puncher sits on his horse watching a handful of long horn cattle grazing nearby. A small clump of adobe houses mark where Las Cruces Avenue first got its start. And over the roofs of these can be seen the towers of San Genevieve church with its twin crosses shining in the sun. Further down Main Street the building now occupied by the Las Cruces Realty company can be seen, the remainder of the street being adobe buildings."

Undated: Las Cruces, New Mexico, MR. F. CARTONIERE'S PROPRIETY, Located at Citizens Bank in Las Cruces, NM.

1888-1898 Missing years, no paintings noted.

1895-Chihuahua State is stamped on Spanish receipt with the name Léon Trousset.

1899---OLD JUAREZ CITY PLAZA. Jorge Alvarez Collection, Juarez, Mexico.
Dated; 27 x 41 oil on canvas. Signed L. Trousset and dated 1899.

PADRE HIDALGO-undated---Juarez Municipal Arts Center. Unsigned.
In the background is painted the Virgin of Guadalupe, Patron Saint of Mexico and a clock which shows the time that Padre Hidalgo gave "El Greeto" on September 16, 1810: the call to war for independence. This may be Léon's first Padre Hidalgo as the Padre is much more life-like, and the document on the table he is pointing to says: Independencia 1810, which the other Padre Hidalgos paintings by Léon do not have.

PADRE HIDALGO---1899? Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In the background is painted the Virgin of Guadalupe, Patron Saint of Mexico and a clock which shows the time that Padre Hidalgo gave "El Greeto" on September 16, 1810: the call to war for independence. Signed L. Trousset

PADRE HIDALGO---Undated-Juarez, Mexico. (Mexican Independence Hero). Jorge Alvarez Collection. Oil on canvas, 32 x 40. (Horse in the background) This painting is the only Padre Hidalgo that is outside in a rural setting. The peasant leading the horse may be a self portrait of Léon Trousset. Signed.

PADRE HIDALGO---1899? Texas Tech University Museum -might be 1889 due to a S.F. newspaper so dated on back of painting. No copy.

Undated---COAT OF ARMS, signed by Léon Trousset in lower right corner, now hangs in Wedding Hall on the ground floor of the main office of the "Registro Civil" Chihuahua. It previously hung in the City Council Chamber in Ciudad Juarez. (BB)

1917---Léon in Juarez. Birth Certificate copy of Lorenzo Antonio Trousset, dated August 1917 where Léon's name appears as a God parent or witness for his grandson.

1917-December 29, Juarez. Léon Trousset death certificate copy. He died at 79 years old, which suggests he was born in 1838.

1920---Juarez, Léon Trousset's name appears on Baptism Certificate copy of Léon Felipe Trousset dated June 5, 1920.

Undated- LEON TROUSSET SELF PORTRAIT (as an older man sitting at his easel), Trousset Family Collection, Undated, unsigned.
(To download a higher resolution image for printing, right click the picture and save target, then print)

Socorro Court House. 1885. L. Trousset. Located in Musuem of New Mexico, Santa Fe, N.M.

Socorro Court House signature: L. Trousset

Socorro Court House used on a book cover:

Vista de San Marcos-Aquascalientes, Octobre, 1883. Léon Trousset. Private collection.

City of Monterey, November first, 1875. Located in Amon Carter Museum of Western Art in Fort Worth, TX

Park City and Billings Smelter View. September 1886.

Park City and Billings Smelter View: Signature of Léon Trousset

Father's Serra's Landing Place or Celebration of the First Mass, 1877. This is different but similar to the one at Carmel Mission. Whereabouts is unknown.

OLD JUAREZ CITY PLAZA, 1899. Private Collection.

OLD JUAREZ CITY PLAZA signature: L. Trousset

FRENCH SCHOOL, View of San Francisco and Bay. 1885-1887? Present location is unknown. Attributed to Léon Trousset.

Vue de l'interieur et de l' entrée des Caves DELA Maison DE M.C. Aguillon. a Sonoma, (California) 1875. Collection Unknown.

Vue de la Maison de M.M.C. Aguillon Winery et Robin, Sonoma, Cal., 1875. Collection unknown.

VIEW OF EL PASO 1885, located in El Paso Museum of Art, TX.

1876 Moss Landing at Castroville (on a book cover of SALINAS, AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, by Verardo and Verardo)

1886-SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO (San Miguel Convent and Church)

The painting below is said to be of a 1870's or 1880's Vineyard in Livermore, CA. We are trying to identify it.

1887 OLD LAS CRUCES, located in Citizen's Bank, Las Cruces, NM.

Undated, MR. F. CARTONIERES PROPRIETY, located in Citizen's Bank, Las Cruces, NM.

View of Oakland Across Lake Merritt, 1875, also called Adam's Point. Present location unknown.

"Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary", restored and returned to San Luis Rey Mission in Oceanside, CA in August 2005
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"Resurrection of Christ", restored and returned to San Luis Rey Mission in Oceanside, CA in September 2007
click on image for larger resolution copy