Fernand Achille Lucien Bivel was born in Paris on October 14th 1888 and he died in 1950. Bivel was a talented painter of landscapes, portraits and still-lifes. He was a pupil of François Cormon and Jean Boutry. Fernand Bivel attained the distinction of being a member of the renowned Société des Artistes Français at 24 years of age. He exhibited with them for 27 years (1912-1939), obtaining an honorable mention in 1914, a bronze medal in 1921, a silver medal in 1922 and a gold medal 1924 paired with a traveling scholarship from the French government.  Bivel distinguished himself for his bravery during the First World War and was awarded the The Croix de Guerre for an act of heroism involving combat with enemy forces. In 1920 Bivel was named a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, the highest honor bestowed on a civilian by the French government. Fernand Bivel’s career was marked by a rising reputation as a master painter and he reached his peak with the attainment of a gold medal during  l’Exposition Universelle in 1937. Bivel’s paintings were loved by the public, the academy, fellow painters and influential government officials. Due to his popularity the French government asked Fernand Bivel to create designs for mail stamps which carried his work around the world.