François Guiguet is a painter French, born with Corbelin, village of the countryside from the Dauphine (Isere), on January 8th 1860 and died in the same city on September 3rd 1937.

Wire of Joseph Guiguet, Carpenter, and of Marie Garnier his wife, it is the 5 of a family of 12 children. It makes its primary studies at the elementary school. His/her father teaches him joinery, trade for which it intends it. Its artistic vocation continues very early; its years of youth, primarily rural, see the awakening of its taste for the drawing without its entourage making obstacle there.

In 1876, one day of visit, Doctor Gauthier who is the family practitioner, is surprised by the quality of the Dessin S of this young man 16 year old. He then advises with his parents to ask the opinion of the painter Auguste Ravier (1814-1895) who resides at Morestel, a nearby village. This former friend of Corot (1796-1875), solitary artist, a little misanthropist, lives withdrawn in his large stone-built house at the top of the village. Contemporary of the painters of the Ecole of Barbizon (Rousseau, Millet, Diaz, Daubigny, Dupre) which it knew and attended, disciple of Corot which learned how to him to set up its reason of it, Ravier applies into Dauphine the pathetic and lyric design suitable for the neo-romantic sensitivity. Following Delacroix, painters English painters in watercolours Turner (1775-1851), Constable (1776-1837), and of Gustave Moreau (1829-1898), it seeks light effects whose most spectacular demonstration is the sunset, a topic which it will constantly paint at the end of its life. An unquestionable melancholy emerges from its landscapes of loneliness, lit by a last sun.

Ravier is 62 years old. At once he recognizes in works of the Guiguet young person a sure talent. During 3 years it will give to its young disciple, of invaluable councils: use and the use of the variety of the Tool S of the drawing, the respect of the values, the use and the advantage of the Pastel to obtain fast and luminous notations, the patique one of the Oil-base paint, etc This particular formation will make it possible Guiguet to arrive " all armé" at the School of the Art schools of Lyon.

In 1879, on the recommendation of Ravier, Guiguet enters the class of Michel Dumas (1812-1885) or it was named professor the previous year. This former student of Ingres, with which it remained more than 16 years in Italy, is a faithful guard of the artistic tradition of his Master. Specialist in the religious subjects and great mural decorations of the churches, it confirms Guiguet in his taste and the need for the pure drawing, at the same time as it teaches to him the organization of work of traditional decorative painting.

Supported by E. Aynard, director of the Commission of Administration of the Museums and by Antonin Dubost, deputy of Isere, Guiguet goes up to Paris to complete his studies at the School of the Art schools. He is received in the workshop of Alexandre Cabanel (1823-1889) which was Prix of Rome in 1845.

François Guiguet, who received the councils of the landscape designer Auguste Ravier, also bound of friendship with Puvis de Chavannes, Degas but also Luigi Chialiva which revealed the techniques of the former Masters to him. Extremely of its meetings and supports, it forged a personality which makes it possible to recognize its works with its particular note.

François Guiguet, painter intimist and portraitist, had a speciality of the representation of childhood, of the woman, glance and life. In its native house, where it returned regularly, it found a source of inspiration.

In 1880, Guiguet obtains the Gold medal of drawing, section portrait; then in 1882, the Grand Prix of Paris.