Portrait Of A Young Man With A Mustache, By Claude Firmin, Avignon 1913

Portrait of a young man with a thin mustache. Oil on wood signed Claude Firmin and dated 1913 top left.
On the back, the model's name is probably: Paul Mollin, 1893-1975.
Frame 59x72 cm. 
Paul Mollin is therefore 20 years old in this portrait. He wears a carefully knotted blue tie, a stiff-collared shirt, and a dark jacket. He appears serious, his gaze a little lost or dreamy. A few months later, given his age, he was probably called up for military service, perhaps as early as August 1914. His elegant appearance suggests that he was part of a wealthy class, which certainly made him a non-commissioned officer or officer, probably in the 58th Infantry Regiment of southern France based in Avignon. Some were less exposed, even if the losses were heavy for all social classes. The First World War left 1.3 million soldiers dead, nevertheless Paul Mollin survived and died at 82 years old. 
The painter Claude Firmin (1864-1944) was a French painter, considered one of the masters of Provençal painting. Born and died in Avignon, he devoted his life to art and teaching. Nicknamed "le Goy" ("the lame" in Provençal), Claude Firmin studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Avignon under Pierre Grivolas. He then continued his training in Paris, notably at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts, where he was a student of Léon Bonnat.
From 1889 to 1922, he exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français, receiving an honorable mention in 1902 for his works "Le Sentier des Saules en Provence" and "Mon Doreur". A member of the Groupe des Treize, chaired by Clément Brun, he also produced numerous frescoes for Avignon City Hall. In 1922, he became a professor, then director of the École des Beaux-Arts d’Avignon from 1937 to 1941. He was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor on January 29, 1937.
The Group of Thirteen was a collective of Provençal artists founded in 1902 in Avignon, under the presidency of Clément Brun. It brought together painters such as Claude Firmin and Pierre Grivolas, aiming to promote regional art through exhibitions. Influenced by Impressionism and Realism, they depicted the landscapes and light of Provence. The group dissolved after the First World War, but its influence marked 20th-century Provençal art.
Notable works by Claude Firmin include:
•“Le Brocanteur, ou Intérieur d’un réparateur d’objets d’art” (1896), preserved at the Musée Calvet in Avignon.
• “Sablières du Rhône à Villeneuve-lès-Avignon” (1905), also at the Calvet Museum.
• “La Régalade” (1910) and “Intérieur de ferme” (1903), exhibited at the Louis-Vouland Museum in Avignon.
• “Le Départ” (1914), also at the Louis-Vouland Museum.
These works illustrate his attachment to Provence and his talent for capturing the light and atmosphere of his native region.
In 1913, Claude Firmin continued to paint scenes of Provençal life, landscapes and portraits, reflecting the cultural richness and beauty of the region.