Ever Find Yourself Asking ‘What Can One Person Do?’
Ever caught yourself telling someone, or even yourself, something like, ‘what difference can one person make?’, or ‘what can one person do?’
If you have, the name ‘Ferdinand Cheval’ might be one worth remembering.
Born in 1836 France, he grew up to be a mail carrier (a postman) who cycled about delivering the post.
In 1879, he stumbled over a stone that he found fascinating. Until he found a few more in the area. He then visualized something that he felt the urge to create.
What followed, in addition to his regular postal work, was 33 years of sculpting in his free time. Everyday!
And completed in 1912, the result was something that continues to be a leading tourist attraction of the French province of Drome; the unimaginable palace (aptly called Palais Idéal, or the Ideal Palace).
An untrained Ferdinand Cheval transformed a rocky hillside into something unbelievably beautiful. And all he had was himself, a dream, and the persistence to show up everyday. For 33 years!
Pics: Hnijssen, Christine Roy, Julyscrap69 and Adrien Olichon
