José Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza (1750–1802)
• Was a Mexican portraitist in colonial Louisiana.
• He is the earliest documented professional artist working in New Orleans, residing there while the region was under the reign of Bourbon Spain.
• Already an accomplished painter, Salazar relocated his family from the Mexican Yucatecan city of Mérida to New Orleans in 1782.
• His daughter Francisca was also an artist.
• Salazar's portraits can be found in the collections of the Louisiana State Museum, the Historic New Orleans Collection and the High Museum of Art.
• José Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $62,500 USD to $591,000 USD, depending on the size and medium of the artwork.
