Louis Vivin.
(1861-1936, France)
Chemins de fer d'Etat, Paris – Gare des Invalides.
(State Railways, Paris – Invalides Station).
Signed 'L. Vivin' lower left. Oil on canvas.
Excellent antique condition with surface dirt, small accretions, stains, scuffs, and craquelure consistent with age.
Image is 24"w x 18.25"h.
Frame is 31.5"w x 25.75"h.
Provenance: Tajan Auctions, Paris, November 2000.
Property from a Robert Metzger-designed interior, Maryland.
The Mike Dale Collection.
Est. $5,000-$8,000.
Ship: $85

Louis Vivin showed great enthusiasm for painting as a child, but his career took a very different turn. In 1881 Vivin went to work at the Central Post Office in Paris. He served as a letter carrier, a chief clerk, a department head, and finally, a postal inspector, a position he held until his retirement in 1922. In 1923, Vivin finally achieved his dream of becoming a full-time artist. He was self-taught and a representative of naïve painting. Eventually, he was discovered by German art critic Wilhelm Uhde (1874-1947), an association which helped him start exhibiting and build a reputation as a serious artist. Along with Andre Bauchant, Camille Bombois, Seraphine Louis and Henri Rousseau, Vivin is considered one of the artists of the "Sacred Heart" group: the most important self-taught artists of early 20th century France.

Vivin's job with the postal service required great precision, and his paintings reflect that preciseness, with intricate architectural detail in his works. His environments are juxtaposed with stick-like human figures. His work likely influenced other naïve artists who came after him, including L. S. Lowry (1887-1976) in the United Kingdom and Vestie Davis (1903-1978) in the United States.