19th century painting - petanque under plane trees in Avignon - Pierre Grivolas (1823-1906)

This important oil on canvas dates from the mid-nineteenth century and is signed in the bottom right P. Grivolas, Pierre Grivolas (1824-1905). This painting was displayed in the living room at Chanteduc, Patricia and Walter Wells' farmhouse in Provence. Note that the canvas has been professionally repaired. Patricia and Walter love this atmospheric scene of a late summer game of pétanque under the plain trees in Avignon. 

Information about the artist is from The Benezit Dictionary of Artists:

Pierre Grivolas, a prominent French artist of the 19th century, was born in 1824 in Avignon and passed away in 1905. As a skilled painter and watercolorist, he specialized in religious subjects, figures, portraits, scenes with figures, market scenes, genre scenes, and landscapes. Under the mentorship of Charles Comte, Grivolas advanced to teach at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Avignon, later becoming its director in 1878. His works were showcased at the Paris Salon between 1864 and 1882, marking him as one of Provence's pioneering plein-air artists. His watercolors, known for their purity, have often been compared to those of Cezanne. In honor of his contributions, a street in Avignon is named after him.