Pierre Grivolas (1826-1906) The Young Kitchen Boy Cook Oil On Canvas 19th Century Provencal School

The young Marmiton, apprentice cook in a restaurant. Our oil on canvas, mounted on cardboard, is to be put into perspective in the series of "professional" portraits painted by the artist and therefore several are known: gardener, mason, etc. Pierre Grivolas is a French painter born in Avignon on September 2, 1823 and died in the same city on February 5, 1906. After showing early talent for drawing, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris where he frequented the painters Ingres, Delacroix and Flandrin. Returning to Avignon after the events of 1848, he became a major figure of the Félibrige movement and directed the École des Beaux-Arts d'Avignon from 1878 to 1906. He founded the New School of Avignon, encouraging his students to paint on the motif and to be inspired by the Provençal light. He is best known for his landscapes, portraits and genre scenes, and painted extensively with his brother Antoine in the Mont Ventoux region.