Jean Michel Cazabon and the Catholic Cathedral in Trinidad

This is the painting of the Catholic Cathedral in Port of Spain. It was done not long after the completion of the building. The building was completed in 1832. The artist Jean Michel Cazabon (1813-1888) was a Trinidadian artist of international renown. He exhibited in Paris for many years. At one time the Governor of Trinidad was his patron.

In the painting there is lots of greenage (trees etc) around the building. In the foreground we see the the sea at the bottom of the embankment.The long boats would come up to the landing at high tide and be loaded with cocoa etc. At low tide the area was black sand otherwise known as mud flats. It is important to know that the Sea did not come right up to the building as many would think. There is a great distance between the building and the embankment - about 60-80 feet. Also the painting would have been done on land (have you ever tried painting on the seas?)

Looking at the painting and seeing the building itself today we may observe some differences. In the painting there is no door in the area right behind the carriage rear wheel.