George Rodrigue, the New Iberia virtuoso, has finally been named Louisiana’s Artist Laureate. He will serve in the position as long as Gov. Bobby Jindal, who appointed him, is in office. George Rodrigue, the New Iberia virtuoso, has finally been named Louisiana’s Artist Laureate. He will serve in the position as long as Gov. Bobby Jindal, who appointed him, is in office. There are many reasons Rodrigue is worthy of the title – his Blue Dog Relief campaign for hurricane recovery and the way he captures the intense-yet-vacant glare of Louisiana’s favorite little brother in his painting “Uncle Earl,” just to name a few – it could be due to the fact that Jindal and his wife, Supriya, selected Rodrigue to paint their official portrait.
Predictably, the First Couple are depicted in front of the famous Evangeline Oak, like other Louisiana governor ’s Rodrigue has committed to canvas. But there’s something extra in the Jindal’s version. Sitting to the left of Supriya Jindal is Rodrigue’s iconic Blue Dog. The Times-Picayune has the explanation of why the dog was included.
When artist George Rodrigue asked Gov. Bobby Jindal whether he wanted him to include a Blue Dog in this portrait of the governor and his wife, Supriya, Jindal replied: “Naturally.”