ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES - BERNARD DE CLAVIERE

Count de Claviere's lavish oil paintings are famous for depicting a rich and romantic realism that both celebrates the moment and transcends it. Born in Lyons, France in 1934, the Count did not begin to paint seriously until the age of 35. He is said to bring to the canvas a vision of remarkable maturity and tenderness.

The Wall Street Journal called Count de Claviere "one of the leading animaliers of this century." His range is vast, as seen in his paintings of both provincial and cosmopolitan landscapes, Thoroughbred champions, Borzoi's as well as other dogs, cats, white bears, tigers, elephants, dolphins, and the list continues.

The Count is perhaps best known for his portraits of domestic and wild animals, earning exalted international acclaim when the French government commissioned him to paint Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's favorite royal steed, Burmese. Presented to her as a gift by the French government, the painting now hangs in her Majesty's private collection. In addition, the Count has painted portraits of the Queen's prize Welsh Corgi, Smokey, and Alybar, Prince Charles' favored steeplechaser.

Count de Claviere's ability to capture the heart and soul of his subjects led the Major of Deauville, France to observe that the Count's paintings are "neither illustration nor photography…but the soul, spirit and life and of the exceptional and perfect moment." Influenced greatly by Velasquez, Poussin, Rembrandt, Oudry, and Thomas Stubbs as well as the Italian Renaissance painters, the Count describes himself as a painter who "sees the modern from a classical perspective."

"My painting is not based on color but on luminosity and shadow," states the Count. "I suppose my work is a personal search for the 'pour quoi' (why) of life. Art is the shortest road between life and the inexpressible."