French Neoclassical Painter, 1767-1824
French painter. Originally named Girodet de Roussy or Roucy, he was a student of J.-L. David, and his classical training was sometimes at variance with his often eccentrically romantic expression. He won the Prix de Rome and while in Italy painted the Sleep of Endymion (1791; Louvre), a sensual and erotically ambiguous work that brought him widespread recognition. His Deluge (Louvre) demonstrates Girodet's interest in unusual color and lighting problems. Much of his work, including a series for Malmaison (Napoleon's residence), glorifies Napoleon.
