April 4, 1864 is born in Nantes Ferdinand Loyen du Puigaudeau. 1882 mark the beginning
of its life of artist. He is only formed, while travelling to Italy,
Tunisia. The first of his works known is gone back to 1886.
In 1886, it decides to go to Pont-Aven. Puigaudeau binds friendship
with Charles Laval and Gauguin, with whom he plans to leave to Panama
and Martinique. Unfortunately Ferdinand will not be able to join his
friends the army convening him. In 1889, it goes to Belgium where he
binds with various members of the group of the XX. In 1890, he presents
one of its works at the Salon de la Société Nationale
des Beaux-Arts. Thanks to his Father he meets Paul Durand-Ruel who exposes
him. He get married on August 7, 1893 in Saint-Nazaire, he will have
a girl: Odette.
In 1895, he settles for three years in Pont-Aven. He attends
the American painters Harrisson and Childe Hassam. The merry-go-round
and fun fairs inspire to him some of its more beautiful paintings. In
1897 Degas a "Fireworks" in Durand-Ruel acquires, thus begins their
friendship. This same year he leaves for the south of France. About
1899-1900 the Puigaudeau family is established in Sannois close to Paris.
1903 are the year of his first personal exposure to the Gallery
of the Modern Artists. He breaks with Durand-Ruel. Puigaudeau decides
to leave for Venice in 1904, he painted there more than fifty paintings
on the nature. On his return the exhibition turns short. Ruined Puigaudeau,
must leave Paris. He is folded up in the village of the Bourg of Batz
in the Loire Atlantique where friends lends to them a villa. There he
finds a new merchant in Nantes (Préaubert), and exposes in various
regional Shows.
In 1907, he rents the manor of Kervaudu. Puigaudeau settles definitively
in the peninsula guérandaise. He takes part in the foundation
of the artistic group of Saint-Nazaire in 1913. The large war of 1914
isolated him from the rest of the world. His withdrawn existence and
recluse will be worth to him the nickname by Degas of "hermit of
Kervaudu". In 1919, he works with a project of exhibition in New
York during four years which is cancelled. This failure has terrible
repercussions plunged him in a semi-depressive state and alcoholism.
In 1924, he illustrates the novel of Alphonse de Chateaubriant: La Brière.
He dies on 19 September 1930 surrounded by his wife and her daughter.
