Paul Saïn (avignon, 1853-1908) Pair Of Portraits

Portrait of J. Panzani, 1895
Portrait of ML Panzani, 1896

Oil on canvas H. 35; W. 27 cm, (dimensions excluding frame)

Paul Jean Marie Saïn is a painter from Avignon, known for his numerous portraits and delicate landscapes of French regions.

Saïn studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Avignon, his hometown, as well as at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In the capital, he became a student of the famous painter and sculptor Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904), who completed his artistic education.

Paul Jean Marie Saïn participated in numerous salons between 1879 and 1892 and spent many years painting the landscapes of Provence with his friends, the painters Louis Agricol Montagné (1879 – 1960) and Pierre Grivolas (1879 – 1960). Like his colleague Joseph Harpignies (1819–1916), he is considered one of the greatest French landscape painters of the 19th century.

Saïn's portraits, rare on the market, demonstrate a delicate sense of realism and great talent as a physiognomist. His works are exhibited in numerous French museums, notably the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée Calvet in Avignon.