An Orientalist painter and lithographer, Louis August Girardot studied at the École des Beaux-Arts with Jean-Léon Gérôme and Paul Dubois beginning in 1884. His trips to Algeria, Morocco and Spain in 1887 and1888 led him to focus his work on Oriental landscapes and genre scenes and portraits of Moroccan women, as well as religious scenes. His portraits were often painted against backgrounds of light, pastel colors.

He exhibited his works at the Salons des Artistes Français and the Salons of the Société National des Beaux-Arts. His honors included winning a silver medal at the 1890 Exposition Universelle, the Prix Marie Bashkirtseff in 1887, the Prix Berhneim in 1912 and becoming a member of the Legion of Honor in 1903.