Born in Vannes in 1866, Louis Marie Joseph Ridel trained in Paris with Gustave Moreau, Alfred de Richemont and Elie Delaunay as his masters. This symbolist painter became friends with Edmond Aman-Jean, Edgar Maxence and Albert Besnard. He mainly produced portraits of women on canvas, painted views of his native Brittany, wall panels, engravings and medals. 

He was a member in Paris of the Salon des Artistes Français from 1901, he also exhibited at the Salon des Tuileries. His works have appeared in exhibitions in Berlin, Ghent, Cairo, Venice, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, Tokyo, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. 

Louis Ridel was decorated many times: in 1896 he was awarded an honourable mention at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris, in 1898 a third class medal, in 1900 a second class medal, and in 1909 he was made "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur". During his lifetime, the artist received numerous official commissions for wall panels; for the Senate, the French Ministry of Public Works and the City Hall of the 12th arrondissement of Paris. 

In 1937, the artist died in Paris at the age of 71. 

The artist's works are present in the French museums of Nantes, Strasbourg, Pont-Aven but also internationally in Tokyo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.