Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Biard, Auguste François
BIARD, Auguste François, a French painter, born at Lyons, Oct. 8, 1798; after studying in the Academy of Fine Arts of his native place, visited Spain, Greece, Syria, and Egypt, and his sketches rapidly found their way into public collections and private residences. His "Arabian overtaken by the Simoom in the Desert," exhibited at Paris in 1833, was followed by the "Odalisque of Smyrna." M. Biard was, however, more successful in the delineation of comic and burlesque groupings, which, always taken from life, made him the favourite of his mirth-loving countrymen. Among these are "The Sequel of a Masquerade," "A Skirmish of Masquers with the Police," and "The Family Concert," a diverting satire upon wonderful children. His power extends to the delineation of grim subjects, such as his "Slave-market on the Gold Coast of Africa." His love of travel led him to visit Russia, Norway, Lapland, Greenland, and Spitzbergen, whither he was accompanied by his wife, and he produced a number of sketches and studies of nature in these regions. His most celebrated picture of this period is the "Combat with Polar Bears." In 1857 he exhibited "The Bombardment of Bomarsund," and "A Ball on board an English Corvette." This artist obtained two medals of the second-class in 1828 and 1848 respectively, one of the first-class in 1836, and the "Order of Merit" in 1838. Many of his pictures have been engraved.