Valere Bernard (c.1860 - 1936) France

Valere Bernard (c.1860 - 1936) France
Title: An Allegory of Spring
Oil on Canvas
Signed lower right Valere Bernard
Measure: 65"H x 45"W and 70"in H x 50"in W framed

Name variants: Francois Marius Valere-Bernard
Biography: He was born in Marseille, though his family came originally from Avignon. At the age of 15 he entered the Ecole des beaux-arts, Marseille, to study under Joanny Rave (1827?1887).Accepted by the Ecole des beaux-arts, Paris, he was taught by Alexandre Cabanel and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. In 1896 his discovery of Felicien Rops immediately influenced his style of engraving and themes. He became friends with Alfons Mucha, who introduced him to the lithographic poster. Back in Marseille, his first exhibitions were greeted by critics with praise for his talent both in etching and in painting. Among other things, he produced a series of engravings entitled Guerro (1893-1895), variations around the theme of death, of great graphic intensity, inspired by Francisco Goya. He then became friends with members of the F?librige, a literary and cultural association dedicated to promoting the Occitan language of Provence, and composed his first poems in the Marseilles dialect, and then a work of fiction in which he showed all his sensitivity and his compassion for the humble and marginalized. He was elected majoral of the F?librige in 1894, then Capoulie (chief) from 1909 to 1919. He proved to be in favour of a revival of the Occitan language in all its linguistic varieties, and composed, in a language which he developed to unify the Occitan and Catalan tongues, first Lugar, conte magic, and then La Legenda d'Esclarmonda which was published a few months before his death at the age of 76. From 1930 to his death he was president of the Societe d'etudes occitanes. On 22 March 1903 he was elected to the Academie de Marseille. Valere Bernard is buried in the Cimetiere Saint-Pierre, Marseille

Provenance: Christie's London September 23, 2004 Lot 15
Property from the noted Zoullas Collection

Condition

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