Charles Giron came from two worlds. His father was a Catholic from Sardinia by way of Spain; his mother a Huguenot from Neuchâtel. He grew up in Geneva, trained briefly as an enameller, then studied under François Diday and Barthélemy Menn before making the move most ambitious Swiss[1] painters of his generation felt compelled to make: Paris, and the studio of Alexandre Cabanel at the École des Beaux-Arts.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1850–1914, Swiss[1]
- Movements
- [1]
- Works held in
- 5 museums
- Wikipedia
- View article
Biography
He first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1876[1] with landscapes, though portraiture and figure subjects became his primary concern over the following decade. He also wrote as an art critic, most notably defending Ferdinand Hodler's controversial fresco proposal for the Berne town hall when official opinion was against it. He travelled widely through England, the Netherlands, and Italy; a planned expedition to India with the Maharajah of Baroda came to nothing.
By 1888[1] he was a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, having received the Order of Leopold the previous year. In 1901 he completed murals for the National Council chamber in Berne. He returned permanently to Switzerland in 1896, settling at Genthod, and served on the Federal Fine Arts Commission from 1898 to 1912.
A stroke in 1913[1] ended his ability to paint. He died the following year at Genthod. Major retrospectives were held in Zürich and Geneva in 1920 and in Berne in 1955, and a street in Geneva now bears his name.
Timeline
- 1850Born in Geneva. His father was Catholic, from Sardinia via Spain; his mother was a Huguenot from Neuchâtel.
- 1876First exhibited at the Paris Salon with some landscapes.
- 1887Received the Order of Leopold.
- 1888Became a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur.
- 1896Returned permanently to Switzerland, settling at Genthod.
- 1898Served on the Federal Fine Arts Commission.
- 1901Completed murals for the National Council chamber in Berne.
- 1912Ended his service on the Federal Fine Arts Commission.
- 1913Suffered a stroke, ending his ability to paint.
- 1914Died at Genthod, aged 64.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Charles Giron known for?
Charles Giron is known for his portraiture and figure subjects, although he started his career exhibiting landscapes. He also completed murals for the National Council chamber in Berne in 1901[1]. He received the Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1888.Who was Charles Giron?
Charles Giron was a Swiss[1] painter who trained in Geneva and Paris. He studied under François Diday, Barthélemy Menn, and Alexandre Cabanel. Giron also worked as an art critic, defending Ferdinand Hodler's work.How did Charles Giron die?
Charles Giron died in 1914[1] at the age of 64.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Charles Giron.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Charles Giron Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [2] book Palmer, Allison Lee, Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture Used for: biography.
- [3] book Milam, Jennifer Dawn, Historical Dictionary of Rococo Art Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [4] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-17. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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