Firmin Massot

Firmin Massot (5 May 1766, in Geneva, Republic of Geneva – 16 May 1849, in Geneva, Switzerland) was a Swiss portrait painter.

Biography His father was a master watchmaker. He began his studies in 1778 at the "School of Drawing", then attended classes at the "", where he studied with Jean-Étienne Liotard, among others. A trip to Italy from 1787 to 1788 had a lasting effect on his style. He had his first showing in 1789 at the Salon of Geneva, where he presented an Étude d'après nature (Study from Nature). At the next Salon, he won the Grand Prize. In 1794, he was invited to Lausanne to work for Madame de Staël.

From 1807 to 1813, he travelled throughout France, making contacts with fellow artists. From 1828 to 1829, he toured England and Scotland, receiving many commissions along the way and becoming enamored of the English "conversation pieces". He also favored a style known as "jusqu'aux genoux" (as far as the knees).

Gallery