Old Photo

Postman Cheval poses in his builder's clothing, pushing what he nicknamed his "faithful companion in hardship": his wheelbarrow. Postcards of the palace were printed from 1902 onward on the initiative of Louis Charvat, a photographer from the nearby village Le Grand-Serre, who sold them through local stores. However, Postman Cheval fought against this in 1905, claiming his copyright and wanting to manage the image of his work by himself. Legal proceedings took place in 1906. Ferdinand Cheval won. The verdict set a precedent for publishing rights! In 1905, Ferdinand Cheval chose Joseph Douzet to take new photos of the palace and managed the sale of these images himself.