Saïn Paul (1853-1908) " A Road In Provence" Avignon France Paris Villeneuve Sun

SAÏN Paul (1853-1908)

"A road in Provence"

Oil on canvas,
Signed lower right,
Numbered and titled on the back by the artist: "n°114 - Une Route en Provence",

Beautiful, luminous and finely realized work by Avignon painter Paul Saïn depicting a road in Provence on a sunny summer's day, most certainly in the Avignon area as in Villeneuve-lez-Avingon where the artist liked to set up his easel.
The artist depicts the typical elements of Provence: tall cypress trees, its arid vegetation and dazzling sunshine.
Painter Paul Saïn used a palette of light colors and played on the play of light and contrasts.

Paul Saïn was considered one of the great landscape painters of his time, along with Henri Joseph Harpignies

A student of Guilbert d'Anelle and Jean-Léon Gérôme in Paris, Paul Saïn exhibited at the Salon des Artistes français in 1879 and 1907, where he won numerous awards. He also won bronze medals at the 1889 and 1900 Universal Exhibitions. Paul Saïn was awarded the Palmes académiques in 1887 and the Légion d'honneur in 1895.
His submissions of cheerful Mediterranean landscapes and Seine et Oise to the exhibitions won awards from the jury and were much appreciated by collectors.
He attended many provincial Salons, winning numerous prizes.
In 1887, he traveled to Algeria.
In 1900, he painted the canvases Avignon and Villeneuve les Avignon for the Train Bleu restaurant at Gare de Lyon in Paris.
Paul Saïn often came to the small village of Saint-Céneri-le-Gérie in the Sarthe region, where he would eventually reside for 25 years like Henri Joseph Harpignies and Mary Renard.
His works are today preserved in many museums in France.

Nb: An old small restoration, without incidence and visible on the back, is to be noted.