Hélène Riviere 1896-1977 The Hens

The Hens, Hélène RIVIERE 1893-1977. Oil painting, signed and dated lower right. Dimensions: Without frame: 54 x 45 cm; With frame: 58 x 49 cm. Antique natural oak frame. Here are some free-range hens pecking among flowers, a subject executed with vivacity and color. Hélène RIVIERE was born in 1896 in Toulouse. The daughter of sculptor Jean Rivière, a professor at the Toulouse School of Fine Arts, she began exhibiting at a very young age, starting in 1920, through the Société des Artistes Méridionaux (Society of Southern Artists). From 1926 to 1940, she exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français (Salon of French Artists) and won a gold medal in 1935. In 1937, she received the Rosa-Bonheur Prize. The goddaughter of painter Henri Martin, she began by painting landscapes before specializing in flower and farmyard scenes. She also taught drawing at the Toulouse School of Fine Arts. Museums: Augustins Museum in Toulouse, Lavaur Museum, Gaillac Museum