"Camargue Thistles" - Original cardboard by J.-L. VIARD

Exceptional numbered wool tapestry signed jean-louis viard. In excellent condition. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs in the paris region, jean-louis viard completed his secondary studies at the henri-iv high school in paris. He copies the paintings of the masters (vermeer, rubbens, rembrandt) and makes pastels and small format paintings. In 1938 he entered the ecole nationale supérieure des beaux-arts in paris and took evening classes at the city of paris. Abstract painter and engraver, jean-louis viard turned towards tapestry. He won the second grand prix de rome for intaglio engraving in 1942. He met odile raymond, painter and drawing teacher, whom he married in 1943. From this union, a son was born, rémy viard. They both have had a parisian workshop at the cité montmartre-aux-artistes at 189, rue ordener since 1943. Jean-louis viard began by creating illustrations for literary works. A scholarship holder from the city of paris, he won the casa de velasquez in 1951 and met the other winners of the 22nd artistic promotion in madrid, spain, who remained friends. There he met andré pédoussaut and the engraver jean-marie granier, future member of the institute. Returning to france, he became a drawing teacher for the city of paris from 1951 to 1989 where he taught in numerous schools. He won several engraving and tapestry prizes and became head of the tapestry section at the salon comparisons. He is also a drawing lecturer at the ecole polytechnique, director of evening drawing classes for adults on rue lepic in paris. Pierre risch will be one of his students from 1965 to 1970, their friendship will last until viard's death. Jean-louis viard has held a number of exhibitions in france and abroad and is featured in numerous museums.