SAÏN Paul (1853-1908) 

"The Banks of the Seine at Ablon"

Oil on panel, 
Signed and dedicated lower right: "to Madame Pihouée", 
Titled, dated and countersigned on the back by the artist: "The Banks of the Seine at Ablon (Seine-et-Oise) - October 1900 - P. Saïn", 

A charming work by the Avignon painter Paul Saïn depicting a view of the banks of the Seine at Ablon, not far from Paris. 
Better known for his works representing Provence, the artist portrays here a bucolic atmosphere on the banks of the Seine. A barge can be seen navigating the water. The artist chose to use wood as a support to play with light and color tones in his work. Paul Saïn was considered in his time to be one of the great landscape painters 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 from 1879 to 1907 where he received numerous awards. He also won bronze medals at the Universal Expositions of 1889 and 1900. 
Paul Saïn received the Academic Palms in 1887 and the Legion of Honour in 1895. 
His submissions of cheerful Mediterranean landscapes and scenes of the Seine and Oise regions to the exhibitions were awarded prizes by the jury and highly valued by collectors. He frequented numerous provincial Salons, winning many awards. 
In 1887, he traveled to Algeria. 
In 1900, he painted the canvases "Avignon" and "Villeneuve-lès-Avignon" for the restaurant Le Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon in Paris. 
Paul Saïn often visited the small village of Saint-Céneri-le-Gérie in the Sarthe region, where he eventually resided for 25 years, as did Henri Joseph Harpignies and Mary Renard. His works are now held in numerous museums in France. 

Dimensions: 22.5 x 33 cm without frame and 40 x 29.5 cm with its original giltwood frame. (Old restorations to the frame, without impact on the image) 

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