L. Goupil

Archivist’s Notes

There is a possibility that he did not join the club despite documentation of his election, as his name does not appear in any subsequent printed rosters of membership. He may have chosen not to “qualify” for membership (i.e., pay initiation fees). The Century Association has traditionally recognized such cases as former members, however, as rosters were not published annually and it is possible he joined between printings. He was the son of the Parisian gallerist Adolphe Goupil, working for the family firm in New York; he was proposed for membership at the same time as William Schaus, who was the director of Goupil & Cie’s New York office until 1852, when Léon Goupil took over. If Goupil did pay his initiation fees, he would be the youngest-ever Centurion, having been elected at approximately eighteen years of age. Similarly, he would also be the Centurion to have died the youngest, at about twenty-five years old.