François Barraud

François Barraud (* November 24, 1899 in La Chaux -de-Fonds, † September 11, 1934 in Geneva) was a Swiss painter who is associated with the New Objectivity.

After completing an apprenticeship as a plasterer and painter François -Emile Barraud attended evening classes since 1911 for drawing and modeling at the Ecole d'art appliqué in La Chaux -de-Fonds. In 1922, he worked as a craftsman in Reims. In 1924 he moved to Paris to study at the Louvre. He stayed in Reims, Leysin, Vevey and La Chaux -de-Fonds, until he settled in 1931 in Geneva, having held a successful exhibition of his works in their gallery moss. His work, marked by serious illnesses short life was just three years later to an end.

Barraud was limited to a small circle of topics. He created primarily portraits, including self-portraits as well as Doppelbildnisse of himself and his wife, nudes, still lifes and further isolated landscapes. Through accurate drawing and clear, smooth coated colors he scored a extreme degree of realism.