1920s Quimper France Ferryman on Odet River Vintage Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

This antique postcard, titled Le Passeur de l'Odet (The Ferryman of the Odet), captures a tranquil scene in Quimper, Brittany, from the renowned La Douce France series by photographer Pierre-Yves Petit (known as Yvon). The composition features a classic wooden flat-bottomed rowboat, a staple utility vessel of the era, carrying a passenger across the glass-like water. The woman in the boat is dressed in traditional Breton attire, including a dark, high-necked dress and a distinctive white lace coiffe (headdress), a regional symbol of identity. In the distance, the twin spires of the Saint-Corentin Cathedral rise above the tree-lined embankments, perfectly evoking the maritime heritage and quiet atmosphere of early 20th-century Breton life.

Details

Era: White Border (c. 1920s)
City: Quimper
State: Finistère
Region: Brittany (Bretagne)
Country: France
Topic: Quimper Cathedral, Odet River, River Ferrymen, Breton Landscapes, French Topographical Views.
Condition: Uncirculated
Address Side: Divided Back
Orientation: Vertical (Portrait)
Artist / Photographer: Pierre-Yves Petit (Yvon)
Publisher: Les Editions d'Art Yvon, Paris (14, Rue de Bretagne)
Printer: Fabrication Française
Print Type: Heliogravure / Photogravure

Additional Information

The reverse side identifies this card as number 8 in the Bretagne sub-series of the La Douce France collection. The publisher, Les Editions d'Art Yvon, was established in 1919 at 14 Rue de Bretagne in Paris, which helps date this card to the 1920s. Yvon was renowned for his artistic, high-quality heliogravure prints that showcased the scenic beauty of the French provinces. The address side features a clean divided layout with vertical text stating Reproduction interdite (Reproduction prohibited) and Fabrication française (French manufacture), following the standard French postcard design of the interwar period.

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