Ports of America Commission
In 1928, Louis Orr was commissioned to produce etchings of fourteen ports in the United States. The Ports of America series portrays harbor-side views from the Atlantic, Pacific, Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico, creating a snapshot of important locations during a significant era. Ports of America is one of Louis Orr's most celebrated series of prints.
Louis Orr's Work in France
From 1906 to around 1930, Louis Orr spent his time in France producing magnificent etchings that captured scenes in Paris, Rouen, Avignon, and Southern France. Orr also made significant contributions to France's history with his famous portrayal of Reims Cathedral while it was being bombed by the Germans in WWI and also with his illustrious commission by France of a portrait of Louis Pasteur.
Here, Orr’s work is organized by location to highlight the charm of the many charming places that he visited. His important work on Louis Pasteur and the Reims Cathedral is also featured.
Paris
Rouen and Avignon
Southern France
Louis Pasteur
In 1923, Orr received a commission by the French government to create an etching from an Albert Edelfelt painting of Louis Pasteur for the national centenary celebrations of Pasteur’s birth. It was one of his most prestigious assignments in France.
Reims Cathedral
Louis Orr’s most renowned work is a series of three prints he made of the Cathedral of Reims in France in 1917. Sent in by the American War Department, he sketched the cathedral while it was being actively bombarded by the German military during the final year of World War I. France honored him for his heroism by bestowing upon him the title of Legion of Honor, Chevalier (knight) class and later made him an officer of the Legion of Honor.
