24 December 2014

A painting of Jean Gaspard Weiss

Living here in Germany, we are about an hour's drive from Mulhouse in France. The other day I took the opportunity to visit Mulhouse, and start ticking things off my family history bucket list!

First thing on the list was to visit the Musée Historique to see the painting of Jean Gaspard Weiss, my 4x great grandfather. The museum staff showed me where the painting was, as I asked about it, and then I told them that he was my great great great great grandfather, which was met with an exclamation of great surprise! They told me all about him, all stuff which I already knew of course! But it was amazing to see the painting in real life. Today when I Skyped my family back in Australia, I compared the faces of his descendants with my photo of the painting. Yes, there are similarities, even taking into account that it's not the best painting I've seen of him.

I also walked across the square to the Temple St Etienne, where Gaspard Weiss' father was a church musician. It was amazing to think of him in there, playing, over 200 years ago.

So there's plenty more for me to see and do in Mulhouse, but I'm saving those for another time. There will be plenty of opportunities.