Before the Alpilles, Mistral and his friends

The man at the center of the painting is Frédéric Mistral, the famous Provençal author and Nobel laureate in Literature in 1904. In 1854, he founded the Félibrige, an association whose objective was to promote the Provençal language and culture. He is represented here by one of his close associates, a member of this group: Denis Valvérane. Born in Manosque, this artist would always maintain a very strong attachment to this city and to Provence. Hieratic, at the center of the work, with a group of men and women on either side, Mistral, his left arm raised, emerges from the scene. All, men and women, listen to him attentively. In the foreground of the painting is depicted the painter's wife: Marthe. She serves here as a foil, her contrast highlighting Mistral. Their postures are in opposition: she is seen from behind, almost reclining, and inactive.