Alvyk Boyd Cruise was a multitalented artist and historian in New Orleans during the mid-twentieth century, By Lissa Capo, Courtesy of the Historic New Orleans Collection.
Alvyk Boyd Cruise combined his artistic talents with a love of history to produce an endearing portfolio of paintings that romanticized southern Louisiana’s built environment—particularly the French Quarter and plantations along River Road. The level of detail in the works of this artist and historian, from building signs and period dress to architectural elements, faithfully reflect the reality of everyday life in Louisiana.

Many of his works were commissioned by the Depression-era federal Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) project to document Louisian...