Valère Bernard (1860-1936) Character And His Donkey Around Allauch -

Southern light and pretty colors for this work by Marseille artist Valère Bernard. The work in good condition, is presented in a gilt frame with channels which measures 52 cm by 75 cm, and 38 cm by 61 cm for the canvas alone. It represents a character on his donkey on the road to Allauch, the pretty Provençal village between Marseille and Aubagne. It is signed lower left and located on the back. A talented artist, painter, engraver, writer and French poet from Provence of Occitan expression. To rediscover. Valère Bernard's family is from Avignon. In 1875 he entered the School of Fine Arts in Marseille to follow the courses of Joanny Rave (1827-1887). Received at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, his teachers were Alexandre Cabanel and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. He remained in Paris from 1881 to 1886 and then returned to Provence. He was first drawn to sculpture and painting, but his work as an engraver is remarkable. In 1896, his meeting with Félicien Rops influenced both his engraving and his themes. He became friends with Alfons Mucha, who introduced him to the lithographic poster. Back in Marseille, during his first exhibitions, critics hailed his talent both in his etchings and in his painting. Among other things, he delivers an engraved suite entitled Guerro (1893-1895), variations around the theme of death, of great graphic intensity, inspired by Francisco Goya. He adheres to the Félibrige. He composed his first poems in Provençal then began a fictionalized work where he showed all his sensitivity and his compassion for the humble and the marginalized. His friendship for the engraver Paul Blanc testifies to this, he is the godfather of his son Valère. Elected majoral of Félibrige in 1894, he served as Capoulié (head) from 1909 to 1919. Supporter of a revival of the Occitan language in all its linguistic varieties, he wrote in a language that he developed to unify the dialects of 'oc and Catalan, the Legend of Esclarmonde, then Lugar, magic tale. In 1930, he was president of the Société d'études occitanes, of which he was one of the founders. On January 22, 1903, he was elected to the 32nd chair of the Academy of Marseille. Professor of art history at the School of Fine Arts in Marseille, he became blind and died on October 6, 1936.