paintings by Barbara F. Postel, visual artist and photos in Marseille, France

B.F. Postel
Marseille - France

While on the McDowell Traveling Scholarship in 1969, B.F. Postel lived in Marseille, France.

After a short stay in Paris, the only requirement of the grant, I got on a train for Palermo, Sicily, where I had been living and painting for the previous year. My goal was to find a new home where I could paint and still be near the Mediterranean. As the train pulled into Marseille (after stopping in X), a volcano went thru me, I felt as though I belonged here.

Me and Raymond
at Cannabierre

Le Marseillaise - Raymond
oil/linen
Sold - Private Collection PA.

Raymond posing for painting

Raymond

Painting images soon

Me and Raymond
Wharf Cafe'

Marseille had everything I wanted including The Chateau D'if, on the Isle of Monte Cristo, where I went every day to paint alone on the small deserted Island. One of the fishing boats would drop me off in the morning and pick me up later. After a short time I moved to the Waterfront section, which was also close to the market, Fridays were my favorite days when they had the seafood auctions. Raymond always brought me unusual people to paint, even a requested red headed French Foreign Legion in full uniform, at 2A.M., drunk. I painted him anyway.

Near the station was a small cafe - Hotel. While sitting at the bar, I checked for an apartment in the newspaper. Raymond, the bartender and chef, made an offer to find me a place while I went to Sicily to get my trunks of Art equipment and belongings. We communicated in Spanish.

Doorway - Marseille apartment
ink/paper 5.75 x 8"

A week or so later I showed up and he had a man with a large wheel cart take my things to one of the worst neighborhoods in the old part of Marseille. There were over ten locks on the door, which kind of fascinated me because you could have easily kicked in one of the wooden panels to get in.