Aimé and Francois Emile Barraud

Aimé Barraud and his older brother of Francois Emile Barraud were two of seven siblings (six brothers and a sister). Both brothers grew up in an artistic environment, being sons and grandsons of clock engravers; a family tradition of designing and engraving the metal housing of pocket watches. Like several of their siblings, they studied art locally in Switzerland.

Selfportrait with beret, Aimé Barraud

Aimé visited Paris regularly where he enjoyed minor success as a painter. Aimé died in 1954 in Neuenburg, Switzerland.

 "Le Philateliste" Oil on canvas, 1929, F.E. Barraud

Francois Emile's work is stylistically close to contemporaries such as Balthus and Moise Kisling, and he was as talented as either of those artists with a paintbrush in his hand. His eye, however, is far sharper and his composition and subject matter are far more compelling than either of the aforementioned painters.

It is a shame information on his life and work is so thin on the ground. A small retrospective of the Barraud brother's work took place in Switzerland in 2005 but other than that there is very little available.