Valère Bernard
1860–1936 · Provençal painter, engraver and Occitan-language poet
Valère Bernard (Marseille, 1860 – Marseille, 1936) was a French painter, engraver, poet and novelist, writing in Occitan, the language of Provence. He left a substantial body of graphic work, and his books and prints continued to be published after his death. His family came originally from Avignon, but he was born and spent most of his life in Marseille, where he trained and built most of his career.
At fifteen he entered the École des beaux-arts in Marseille, studying under Joanny Rave. He later continued his training in Paris, where his teachers included Alexandre Cabanel and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. His first exhibitions in Marseille were praised by critics for his skill in both etching and painting. In 1896 his discovery of Félicien Rops shaped both his themes and his approach to engraving, and his friendship with Alfons Mucha introduced him to the lithographic poster.
His graphic output includes Guerro, a series of eleven etchings on the theme of death. As a writer he belonged to the Escolo de la Mar and produced poetry and fiction in Occitan, marked by a vigorous realism, vivid depictions of the Mediterranean landscape and life, and a socialist and pessimistic outlook. He was elected to the Académie de Marseille in 1903, and from 1930 until his death he presided over the Société d'études occitanes. His legacy rests on both his literary and graphic work.