Some years ago, when I collected primarily prints and engravings, I was introduced to stunning examples of postcard art that were attributed to “YVON”.
The identifying letters are always found at the lower right of the design, and refer to the studio “Les Editions d’Art YVON”.
YVON was the brand name of Jean-Pierre Yves-Petit (1886-1969) a photographer who was born in Bordeaux and who moved to Paris as a young man.
https://rthcards.co.uk/pclogos/data/YVON/YVON_01.html
YVON understand the importance of branding and of copyright, and his views of Paris, often taken on early morning walks, gained enormous popularity.
The toned photographs, uncolored, are masterpieces of French photography and grace important collections today.
(Hamilton College, in upstate New York, holds several YVON originals.)
But YVON was also a remarkable visual artist whose hand-coloration was extraordinary.
He created colorful calendars, albums, and travelogues that remain highly collectible.
+ + + + + +
Here, we see old homes of half-timber construction on the Rue Saint-Romain in the ancient Norman city of Rouen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen
The title is printed in French, “Vieilles maisons rue Saint-Romain”.
La Rue Saint-Romain, named for a 7th Century Archbishop, is a narrow street behind the Cathedral.
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue_Saint-Romain_(Rouen)
Not long ago, we saw a lovely postcard drawing of the historic Cathedrale– “Notre Dame de l’Assomption de Rouen”.
In this postcard drawing, the exquisite management of color, light and shadow, and the evocation of stillness – are utterly charming.
It seems that there may be related works as this picture appears to be part of a series, “La Douce France”.
While the French word, “douce” is generally understood as “sweet” or “gentle”, in this context it becomes “…a beloved cultural term of endearment used to describe the beauty, idyllic countryside, and romanticized lifestyle of the country.” (Google)
This example of postcard art was made in France, and the work was copyrighted by the studio.
+ + + + + +
The postcard was never mailed, so there is no personal story connected to it.
The artwork of the YVON studio was widely-collected in France, and was purchased by visitors and tourists throughout France.
Because the postcard is in excellent condition, I suspect that a collector preserved the image very carefully throughout the 20th century.
