Tribute to Postman Cheval

Tribute to Postman Cheval is a photomontage of elements making up the palace, and of the natural countryside of the Drôme area reminding us of the famous postman's routes. Denser in its center, the composition draws us in at first glance. After that, we discover a wealth of details. In their green natural surroundings, the steps, the modeled palm trees and aloes, the figures, the crescent of the mosque, the tree of life, and the serpent in the foreground are all a part of the wonderful work of Postman Cheval. While a dog made from a bunch of stones hides behind a tree, the pierre d'achoppement (stumbling block), which triggered the construction of the postman's dream, stands alongside a fern. It's almost as though the architecture had always been there, ready to surprise us as we head out for a walk. Perhaps that was Postman Cheval's vision—after all, didn't he dream of his palace during his long mail routes in the Drôme countryside? We may notice that he is missing from the composition, although his cooking pot can be seen on the table in the foreground. On display in the Ideal Palace, this same cooking pot was used by the architect to mix his lime preparations. To remind us of his work, the wheelbarrow that allowed him to collect countless stones for his construction also poses in front of the grouping.