Mont Athos - Paul JOUVE (1878-1973)

A very rare pen and ink drawing by Paul Jouve
"Mont Athos - Monastère de Kilindar"

Original pen drawing
Pencil, Indian ink
Signed "P. Jouve"
Dated "sep. 1917"

France
Measurements of the drawing : 35 x 75 cm
Measurements of the frame : 58,5 x 99 cm

Paul Jouve stayed from July to early October 1917 in the Athos peninsula, visiting the monasteries one by one. He brought back paintings and drawings of striking precision and beauty from his stay at Mount Athos.

The monastery of Hilandar or Chilandar (Kilindar for Jouve) is one of the twenty Orthodox monasteries of the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos, and as such, although speaking Serbian, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Due to the fact that its founders are Serbs, it is also called "The Serbian Monastery".

Biography :
Paul Jouve (1878-1973) was a French painter, sculptor and ceramist, member of the Academy of Fine Arts. Enrolled at the Decorative Arts school of Paris, that Jouve did not attend long, rebuffed by the academic exercises, he was then a free student at the Beaux-Arts. But Jouve preferred to paint from nature, the horse market, the garden of plants, the slaughterhouses of Villejuif, La Villette, or more, improve his knowledge of anatomy at the Museum of Natural History.

Jouve exhibited his paintings at the Salon of the French Artists in 1893. The Universal Exhibition of 1900 marked the beginning of his notoriety. For the occasion, he created a 100m long frieze of wild animals that adorned the doors of the Champs Elysées. As a collector and art dealer Samuel Bing identified him. He supported him and exposed in his gallery his work, which knew then a great success. It was in 1905 that the recognition was confirmed. He participated in all major exhibitions and Samuel Bing organized his first solo exhibition.

In 1904, Jouve joined Hamburg and Antwerp, attracted by their large zoological gardens. He was one of the first contributors to the magazine "L'Assiette au beurre". The first winners of the Abd-el-Tif Prize, Paul Jouve and his friend Léon Cauvy were residents of Villa Abd-el-Tif near Algiers in 1907. Considered as one of the best French animal painters, Paul Jouve illustrated, between 1906 and 1914, "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling. Paul Jouve participated in the Universal Exhibitions of 1900, 1925 and 1937 in Paris, he received a gold medal for each of his participations. He also received the gold medal for his participation in the International Colonial Exhibition of 1931 in Paris.