The Brulatour Patio
The Brulatour courtyard is one of the most recognizable in the
French Quarter.  It was built in 1816 by Francois Seignouret.  The
property gets its name from Jules Brulatour, who was born in
New Orleans in 1870 and once owned this building.
Mr. Brulatour was an important pioneer of early motion picture
films.  He led a rather dramatic life and there are some who
maintain that it was Jules Brulatour who was depicted in the
movie "Citizen Kane," rather than William Randolph Hearst.  
Parts of the movie are strikingly similar to Mr. Brulatour's life
story.
In the 1930's, the property was the home of the New Orleans Art
League and many aspiring artists painted pictures of the patio.
In 1948, local television station WDSU moved into the building
and remained there for nearly 50 years.  The courtyard was open
to the public during business hours, so, over the years, thousands
of people visited and photographed it.
It's my understanding that the property has recently been sold to
the Monteleone family, who have plans to place retail businesses
in the building, which means that the courtyard will once again
be open to the public.
The postcard above is from the 1930's.