The Peddler - Gaston Darien (1864-1926)

Gaston Darien 1864-1926

From childhood, he showed a precocious talent for drawing and observation. After completing his classical studies,
he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under renowned masters.
Trained by Jules Lefebvre and Antoine Guillemet, Gaston Darien began his career by exhibiting at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1886, where he mainly presented landscapes.

He then turned his attention to interior scenes and depictions of Parisian life, which earned him several prestigious awards: honorable mention and the Brizard Prize in 1889, a third-class medal in 1897, a second-class medal in 1899, and a bronze medal at the 1900 World's Fair.

Dividing his time between Paris and Normandy, he worked in the capital during the winter, inspired by the hustle and bustle of city life, and devoted himself to seascapes around his home in Bénouville, near Étretat, during the summer. He was also responsible for the decoration of the town hall in Vanves.

In recognition of his work, he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1910.