First wife Julie Perrégaux

 

Femme à la couture, 1883
Oil on panel, 46 x 35 cm
France, private collection

Very little information has been found so far about Richard Hall's first wife, Julie Perrégaux. Previously, I knew mainly what had been written about her in newspaper articles. Now, even that limited information has proven to be incorrect in many respects.

Mauri R. Hall has reported in an article published in Satakunnan Kansa in 1975 that Richard Hall's first wife was Julia Cornetz, and that she was Hall's cousin. In addition, newspaper records indicate that they married in 1881 and Julia Cornetz died in 1891. I have searched for information about her on the Internet, but have not been able to find even her birth and death dates.

The reason for the lack of information has been clarified: Hall's first wife was named Julie Perrégaux. Her date of birth and death, their wedding date, and the birth dates of their children were found in the Paris city registry. Thanks for digging up the documents go to Christophe Borowczyk, who very kindly helped me.

Richard Hall's ja Julie Perrégaux's marriage certificate
Source: Paris city registry

 

 Julie Perrégaux and the wedding

According to the marriage certificate, Julie Perrégaux was born in Amsterdam on November 18, 1854. Her place of residence was Cortaillod in Neufchatel, Switzerland. This is probably the same place where Richard Hall's mother Alexandrine Zélie Hall was from. Julie Perregaux's father was the late merchant Henri Alexandre Perrégaux. Her mother was Cecile Alexandrine Cornetz, who was 60 years old at the time of the marriage.

Hall and Perrégaux were married on May 22, 1883 in Paris. The marriage was performed by Deputy Mayor Fréderic Schmidt, an official of the 14th arrondissement of Paris. The couple had obtained the necessary certificates from the consulates of their home countries, namely Great Britain and Switzerland. Hall's address at the time of the marriage was 12 rue Boissonnade.

If I have read the handwriting correctly, the four witnesses to the ceremony were sommelier Gustave Durand, butcher Charles Heinet, engineer Thomas Sundius, and butler Victor Poullais. All the witnesses lived on rue Vavin, less than a kilometer from Hall's apartment. So they must have been part of Hall's circle of acquaintances. Interestingly, none of the witnesses were artists. Was marrying young unpopular among artists who lived a free artistic life in Paris?

Sewing Woman

The top picture of this blog post, Femme à la couture, or in English Sewing Woman, is from 1883. It shows Julie Perrégaux crocheting with a French balcony behind her. It would be interesting to check if rue Boissonnade 12 has similar balconies, but now there is a newer building at that address. Another option is Boulevard Arago 68, where the couple lived when the first child was born. There is also a newer building at that address. I couldn’t find any old photos of the buildings in question either.

In the painting, Perrégaux has a rounded belly, indicating that she was pregnant at the time. Her gaze is humbly directed downward, toward her handiwork. Hall has depicted his spouse from the side and in backlight, which gives the subject a somewhat distant impression. It seems as if the newlywed couple did not yet have a very close relationship. The couple's marriage may have been arranged by their parents, which offers one possible explanation for this impression.

 

untitled painting, 1884
Pastel, 62 x 46 cm
Private collection
Photo: Anni Saisto

 

First child

A son, Georges William Hall, was born on October 28, 1883, in his parents' home. According to the birth certificate, the family lived at 68 Boulevard Arago in the third arrondissement at the time. This time, Hall's artist friends Richard Bergh and Nils Kreuger were the witnesses. Bergh lived in the same house as the new parents. Kreuger lived at 10 rue Boissonnade.

The above unpainted pastel painting depicts a new mother by her child's cradle. The painting was probably done early in the year, as Georges still looks very small. Hall painted his wife from a very similar angle to the portrait at the top of this page. This time, the light hits Perrégaux's face, and she has bent over her child with concern.

In the painting A Studio in Paris below, a mother and child are sitting by the stove in the artist's studio. The painting is undated, but it was probably made in the winter of 1883 - 1884. Perrégaux is wearing the same red and black clothing as in the pastel painting, where she is depicted by the cradle. The painting Studio in Paris is dedicated to Hall's parents, and the artist has recorded it as a study.

 

A Studio in Paris, undated
Oil on panel, 47 x 38 cm
Private collection
Photo: Anni Saisto

Second child and death

The couple's second child, Agnès Hall, was born on 10 April 1886. The family was still living at 68 Boulevard Arago. The witnesses were the artists Jean Luna and Felix Hidalgo. There may be a typo on the birth certificate. Both witnesses were Indonesian, and Jean's real name is Juan. Luna lived in the same building as the Hall and Perrégaux family. Hidalgo's address remains unclear.

The last thing we learn from the Paris civil registry is the death of Julie Perrégaux. She died on 14 May 1893 at 1 rue Pierre Larousse. The hospital L'hôpital Saint-Joseph, founded in 1878, is located there. The death certificate shows that Richard Hall was living at 43 Avenue Victor Hugo at the time. Perrégaux's mother, Cecile Alexandrine Cornetz, lived in Cortaillod, Switzerland. The cause of Julia Perrégaux's death remains unclear.