Parler à ou parler avec

Question

The writer is talking to a talented painter. My dictionaries state that to talk to someone is parler à. Why is parler à quelqu'un considered wrong?

Céline Pickard · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Patricia,
Thank you for your comment! You're right that "parler à" is an option. Thanks to you, it has now been added to the other alternatives.
Merci de votre excellente participation !
Bonne journée !

Paul Fisquet · Answer

I put that too, but on reflection I think that in French "parler à quelqu'un" is maybe just talking to or at someone in a one-way interaction, whereas in this case it is assumed that the painter is also taking part in the conversation, so the narrator is talking with (so "avec") the painter.