Eugène GIRAUD (1806-1881) Street scene with Spanish beggars Pastel. Signed lower right. 73 x 52 cm at sight Eugène Giraud studied in Louis Hersent's studio and then engraving in Joseph Richomme's studio. He attended the École des Beaux-Arts and won the Prix de Rome in engraving in 1826. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1831 to 1882. In 1846, on the occasion of the marriage of the Duke of Montpensier, son of Louis-Philippe with the Infanta of Spain, sister of Queen Isabella II, Alexandre Dumas decided to go to Spain. He was accompanied by a merry band of friends including Adolphe Desbarolles, Louis Boulanger and Eugène Giraud. This trip will be recounted in the book published in 1862 by Desbarolles Deux artistes en Espagne. It is probably during this trip that this pastel was made.

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