**“WOMAN SEWING IN A GARDEN”** (1875) by **Marie-François Firmin-Girard**

ART and DESIGN

Great painting artists

François-Marie Firmin-Girard

François-Marie Firmin-Girard, is a French painter, born May 29, 1838 in Poncin and died January 8, 1921 in Montluçon

**“Marriage in Extremis”** (?) by **Marie-François Firmin-Girard**

He undertakes the classic course to become a painter: He follows the teaching of the Imperial School of Drawing, before joining, at the age of 16, the Gleyre workshop and being admitted, the same year, to the School of Fine Arts.
He was only 21 years old when he exhibited his first canvas, in history painting, with which he attracted the attention of the public authorities (the state orders many paintings for churches in France).

**“Sunday in Bas-Meudon”** (1884) by **Marie-François Firmin-Girard**

Image Source: commons.wikimedia

Since the 1860s he has experimented with other kinds of subjects and styles, naturalist-inspired, impressionist, and plein-air painting, so he turns to Salons and the art market.
He opens a parenthesis with some exotic paintings of Japanese, Orientalist and Italian inspiration, with special success in works of flowers and women.

**“Flower Seller on the Pont Royal”** (1872) by **Marie-François Firmin-Girard**

Image Source: commons.wikimedia

From 1890, Firmin Girard became more and more a naturalist with a series of landscape works.
Abandoning the impressionist touch, Firmin Girard particularly distinguished himself in a hyperrealism reproducing with meticulous care the smallest details.