Tribute to Postman Cheval

A single reading is not enough to analyze the entirety of the composition, because although the blue sky is immaculate, the architecture remains anarchic. Among it, we find the back of the Egyptian temple from the northern facade, the perching bird, and the throng of animal ornamentation fitting of Postman Cheval. The multicolored building accentuates the wonderful appearance of this naive creation. Six birds, reflecting the style of Louis Poulain, enliven the structure, and two figures with intertwined bodies are visiting the monumental work. In the foreground, Postman Cheval transports his stones. Despite being portrayed in profile, two eyes stare out at the viewer. Like a symbol of the speed of the construction, his wheelbarrow resembles a tortoise. The same texts are written on Louis Poulain's composition, engraved on the original building, "Dun un songe j'ai sorti la reine du-monde (I pulled the queen of the world out of a dream), "Facade nord" (Northern facade), and "Travail d'un seul homme" (Work of one man). Above this comic architectural scene, Louis Poulain has also written "Tout ce que tu vois passant est l'oeuvre d'un paysan (Everything you see as you pass by is the work of a farmer) in tribute to the rural origins of the postman, whose parents were farmers. For Louis Poulain, this piece is also a way to show appreciation for art that is unconventional, amateur, and naive, which echoes his own work.