Portrait de Paul Léon

Émile Friant (16 April 1863 – 9 June 1932) was a French artist.

Friant was born in the commune of Dieuze. He exhibited paintings throughout his lifetime at the Paris Salon.

Friant created works in charcoal, oil, and other media. He also used photographs to prepare finished paintings.

Friant was born in the commune of Dieuze in 1863. His father was a locksmith and mother a dressmaker. Madame Parisot, the wife of a local chemist, often hired Friant's mother to design custom clothing. The Parisots took an early interest in the young Friant and treated him maternally, as they were without children of their own.

In 1870, with the defeat of the Second French Empire at hand as part of the then-ongoing Franco-Prussian War, annexation of Alsatia occurred and Dieuze was no longer under French state control. Intensely distressed by this, Monsieur Parisot intended to leave the commune for Nancy, but died shortly before having the chance. In 1871, Madame Parisot fled with Friant to Nancy; his biological family would follow later.

Friant was sent to the lycée to learn Latin, as Madame Parisot intended for him to follow in her husband's footsteps and become a chemist.