Monday, October 5, 2009

Ernest Gustave Girardot


[A Lady Artist, Inspiration]
signed E G Giradot : 1869 l.l.
London
oil on canvas
30 x 25"
.
fl. 1860 - 1893.
including works currently for sale
Girardot lived in Notting Hill and later Havistock Hill but exhibited regularly in Dublin.

9 comments:

  1. Ernest Gustave Girardot (Edme) had a son Alfred Girardot who came to America in 1878 went back home then came back again in 1880 at age 17. His parents were very upset with him. They wanted him to follow in his father's footsteps. Alfred was a problem child and wouldn't stay in school. upset carts at the market places. Finally they hired a tutor but then he ran away at age 15. For two years he worked hard on sailing ships and whatnot. After the he returned home his mother cried because of his calloused hands. Alfred had an older brother, Etienne Girardot who went to fame on stage and film. Two sisters also went to the stage I think their names where Elizabeth and Hypatia. There is another brother I'm named for (his name has Douglas in it) and a little sister Clara or Claire who passed at about three or four. She was kept in a locked room in a glass coffin as the mother would not let her be buried for the longest time. The children were not allowed near that room. When looking up E. G. you never see mention of the other children so I wanted you to know the little bit that I know. Anyway, in America E. G. Girardot's son Alfred married Lillie Bell Linker and had their first baby about 1889 her name was Louise. My grandfather was born 14 years later 1903, Angelo Douglas Girardot who married Mary Jane Daily in 1920. They had a younger child about 1917 or 18 named after Clara. When I was little and a teenager we called her Aunt Clarie. I just wanted to let you know a little of our old history. Alfred used to draw for his American Grandchildren, as Mom used to tell us all about him. Alfred was much older at that time and he had used himself up farming. He was sad and wanted to go home but his parents had passed by that time. My mother, Jewell Girardot, his oldest granddaughter loved his stories and told me quite a bit about him. One of his fave words when angry was bloody! I was happy years later I bought a print of E. G. Girardot's "Lady over cradle with The Toy". She'd never seen a painting by her great grandfather. E. G. passed I guess in 1905, Alfred in 1931 or '32, Mom passed in 2011 and I now have the print of "The Toy." I've become an artist as well and try to carry on just a bit. Mom, Jewell, married George Marvin Swicegood in 1942. I was the last of four children. Douglas Lee Swicegood.

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    Replies
    1. I am a Girardot (maiden name). My fa.ily are originally from Notting Hill after coming to the UK during the French Revolution. I have a huge family tree fully prepared. My great great great grandfather was John Edme Girardot

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    2. Wow Katie, what a history, that is too cool. Thanks for sharing your Giradot heritage with me. Hope all is well with you and yours. Doug.

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  2. Hi Dough

    I am working on a dictionary of the artists who lived in Hampstead, north London and have hit a brick wall! Although, the artist Ernest Gustave Girardot (1840-1904) is listed all over the internet, he can't be found in any of the British Census forms going back to 1841. He is listed at four addresses in Hampstead in some dictionaries, but the only artist living at these addresses is Edmo Gustave Girardot (1831-1911) - he died in Ealing, London on February 11 1911. He was the son of the artist Jean Edme Girardot (1797-1880), whose death was registered in Hampstead in 1880.
    The problem is that most British institutions lists THE OTHER ARTIST as Ernest Gustave Girardot (1840-1904). There is NO such name listed in any official records (census, marriages or deaths). MY ARTIST (Edmo) was married to Louise Betzy (c.1834-1908). Their daughter Hypatia (1863-1947) was also an artist.
    Do you have an accurate FAMILY TREE? I can't include dates etc. that can't be verified.
    I would be grateful for any accurate information you have.
    Greetings from Australia
    John Walde
    johnr.walde@gmail.com

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  3. I do have a suspicion that your information my be closer to the truth because if he were born in 1840 and his oldest son in 1856, Etienne Girardot,then E.G. Girardot would have been only a sixteen years old. Through another person I e-mailed with years ago I heard of this 1833 born man which was basically closer to what Mom may have been told. 1840 seems young, but you never know! This lady I wrote to and she me told me her theories for this discrepancy. I'd have to find the papers she sent to me. But I'm willing to try. I hate for great, great grandfather to be lost in the mists of time. I don't think his work is as revered as it should be. He painted the Queen. Executed many portraits and genre paintings too (historical) I'll do my best. Thanks for reminding me of all this.

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  4. I am still trying to find the connection between the artist Edme Gustave Girardot (1831-1911) and the artist Alfred C(harles?) Girardot (?-?). Both worked in a studio at 51 Upper Park Road , Hampstead, London in the 1870s.

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  5. Forgot to mention that Alfred C(harles) Girardot was born cirka 1835.

    John Walde
    johnr.walde@gmail.com

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  6. Hey John, all i know is my great great grandfather was named Edme but upon moving to London he switched to Ernest in order to sound more English. That was the history told by his son, Alfred Giradot, born in 1863, who was quite the rounder and ran away from home a couple of times and the last time for good. Another relative from New Jersey told me of both Edme and Earnest the latter being presumably born in 1840. She also found that great great grandfather may have had a second family thus making our searches more difficult. There had to be a reason Alfred kept running away and both boys refusal to follow in their father's footsteps as a well renowned portrait and genre artist. All we have is his history from his own mouth and old census records. Doug

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  7. I am a French amateur genealogist. The Girardot family can be found in this collaborative tree on FamilySearch :https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LVNR-5SR
    I found some records in France about this family. These elements may help to determine the birth date of Ernest Gustave.
    Regards,
    Zakaboum

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