Emile Henri Bernard

Misunderstood Master Artist or Eccentric Egotist?

“At the moment, 1918( I am fifty years old), I have produced about 2,000 paintings, 20 books, novels,
criticism; nearly 1,000 woodcuts and etchings; more than 100,000 verses and more than 3,000 drawings.
I have been innovative in furniture, sculpture and tapestry design. I introduced Cézanne and Vincent van
Gogh. I have run several art magazines, visited 10 nations, more than 100 museums, read almost all the
masterpieces. I have spared nothing to know and make love and defend the beautiful.
Yet I am almost unknown.
I am sold the celebrity we give to the maker of trifle. If my friends talk about me, it is with fear and care.
It seems they are afraid. I always acted frankly regarding talent.
What did I do to the world so that it pushes me away?
All that I revealed has yet succeeded and the current arts are living my discoveries ... So is it because I
always asked for justice for others that there is nothing left but injustice for me?
My God, if it's your will, let it be done.” --
Emile Bernard

Emile Henri Bernard, a French, post-impressionist artist, was eccentric, egotistical and a colorful
character. He surrendered to his desires feeding his need for independence and exploration in
the arts; personal wants and pleasures. Peers of Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, and Paul
Gauguin, Bernard is associated with Cloisonnism and Synthetism. Yet he was never given
significant credit for his work in these styles nor his contribution to the
art world in other forms.

The question remains, did he not receive the accolades because of his
lack of ability or because of his relentless curiosity that challenged and
questioned current thinking and sensibility? Was he not focused with
too many interests/talents to only pursue one discipline? Was he a
better writer, critic or essayist than painter? Were his amorous
adventures and fascination with brothels and prostitutes, a constant
distraction?

Art historians have their own perception and opinion. Some think he was better than those of his
peers while others feel he has been positioned correctly in history. As more of his work is
discovered, some say his revenge for being discounted while alive is now on the horizon. Whether
he ever receives a position of notoriety, fame, and appreciation for what he brought to the world
of art, there is no denying the life of Emile Bernard is one of importance, influence, and intrigue
and rightfully occupies a place in the history of French art and painting.
Timeline of Emile Henri Bernard
1860’s

• 1868, April 26: Born in Lille, France to a father employed in the textile industry.
1870’s

• 1870: Due to the Franco Prussian War, family moved to St. Aigen near Rouen.
• 1871, February14: Birth of his sister Madeleine.
Madeleine and Bernard were very close and her image was depicted in
many of his paintings. (Painting of Madeleine by Bernard.)
• 1876: Family moved to Loos near Lille and prospers.
• 1877: Emile attended College de la Monnaie at Lille while living with his
maternal grandmother, Sophie-Bodin-Lallment, who supported his desire to be an artist.
• 1878: Family moved to Paris where Emile attended L’institut des Francs-Bourgeois and also
enrolled at Ecole des arts Decortifs.
• 1879-80: Family moved to Nogent-sur-Marne due to children’s poor health but returned to
Paris in the autumn of 1880.

1880’s

• 1881: Emile studied at College Sainte Barbe at Fontenay-aux-Roses, moving to the Paris
branch where he discovered a love of poetry.
• 1882-84: During summer break, Emile copied masterpieces from museums and prints from
famed artists; and made sketches from life.
• 1884-86: Staying near an area of Paris, Asnieres, he entered Atelier
Fernand Corman wanting to become a painter much to his father’s
dissatisfaction. Here he met Toulouse-Lautrec, Louis Anquetin, Eugene
Boch, Paul Tampier and viewed for the first time, paintings by Cezanne.
In 1885, he created his first important work, the woodblock, La Nativite.
(Photo of fellow artists.)

1886

Expelled from Corman for insubordination, his parents tried to get him involved in the family
business, but he refused. He toured Brittany, where he was enamored by the tradition and
landscape. He later went to Pont-Aven to see Paul Gauguin, who did not recognize Bernard’s talent.
Visiting the exhibition of Société des Artistes Independants, he saw the works of Georges Seurat and
Paul Signac.

1887

While his parents rented a house in Asnieres, Emile exhibited Pointillist works and was invited by Seurat
to his studio. Bernard and Anquetin broke from Neo-Impressionism, painting flat color areas with strong
black contours (outlines). Returning to Brittany, he began creating stained glass windows. In December,
Vincent van Gogh arranged an exhibition of paintings of his work, Bernard’s, Anquetin’s and Lautrec’s.
Bernard sold his first painting.
1888

At an exhibition at Salon des Independants, an art critic coined Bernard’s and Anquetin’s new style
Cloisonnism. (Sample of Cloisonnism by Bernard.)

• May: Left for three months to Saint-Briac.

• August: Traveled to Pont-Aven, joined by his mother and sister. While
Bernard and Gauguin worked together, Gauguin, 23 years Madeleine' s
senior, fell in love with the young beauty.
Bernard did not support the love affair. He questioned whether
Gauguin’s love was received willingly or his sister was pressured. It was
one of many wedges in their friendship.
• November: Bernard returned to Asnieres.

1889

• June: Participated in Volpini Exhibition, paintings by Impressionists

and Synthetist Group. (Event announcement.)
• July: Le Moderniste printed Bernard’s first critical acclaim.
• Disliking Gauguin and thinking he was a bad influence on Emile, his
father prohibited him to visit him in Pont-Aven. He spent the summer
in St. Briac where he met Charlotte Buisse, whom he wanted to
marry.
• October: He returned to Asnieres and later to Lille where he lived at
his grandmother’s and worked as a textile designer.
• Upon returning to Paris, he learned of Buisse’s engagement,
Madeleine was engaged (not to Gauguin) and he lost his parental
allowance. To support himself he organized a lottery of his paintings.
(Landscape by Bernard of St. Briac.)
• July/September: Bernard attended the funeral of Vincent van Gogh
along with other known artists and helped Theo, Vincent’s
brother/manager, display Vincent’s work at his memorial
exhibition. (Vincent’s funeral.)

1891

• January: Gauguin was hailed as the leader of Symbolism and

initiator of the Synthetist movement. Offended for not giving him credit
and believing that his style played a part in the development of
Gauguin's style, Bernard broke with Gauguin. He continued to show
work at different exhibitions separating himself and his work from
Gauguin. (Caricature of Gauguin.)

1892

• March/May: Bernard continued to show work at Galleries in Pont-Aven.

Also sculpted furniture and worked on textiles where he met
seamstress Maria Buisso.
1893:

• January: Deciding to go abroad and accompanied by Maria, he went to Belgium, Italy and
Turkey. In Samos, he was commissioned to paint the chapel of Les Missionaires de Lyon.
Moving to Smytrna, Maria leaves him for a French photographer.
• November: Via Jerusalem and Alexandria, he arrived in Egypt.
At the World’s Faire in Paris there was an exhibit on Cairo. Bernard was drawn to its exotic
nature. He was disillusioned with the painting scene of Paris and the lack of recognition he
was getting for his work. Cairo was to be a new beginning for Bernard.

1894

• July: He met and fell in love with 20-year-old Hannenah Saati, from a
Syrian Christian Family. He began living like an Arab in an enchanting
traditional home.
The Saati family was taken with Bernard and encouraged his visits. It is
questioned whether they used their daughter to charm Emile. When
Hannenah’s mother died and the father, crippled and unable to work,
Bernard’s chivalrous spirit felt compelled to oversee the impoverished
family. He then married 20-year-old Hannenah knowing his family
would not be pleased. (Portrait of Hannenah by Bernard)

1895

First son, Oste was born. He was commissioned to do frescoes for a chapel in Cairo. His sister, who he
had always been close to, is ill with tuberculosis and moves to Cairo where she dies.

1896

Finances were difficult so he moved his family to Spain where Hannenah became ill with tuberculosis,
though survived.

1897

Birth of second son; moved back to Cairo and moved in with his wife’s family. Both sons died of
tuberculosis.

1898

Third son, Odilon, was born. Bernard published the first of 17 volumes of
poetry while doing many paintings of life in Cairo. (Sample from series.) 1899

Tapestry exhibit.

1900’s

• 1900: Traveled back to France visiting Venice. Due to Odilon’s illness, Bernard returned to
Cario where son died shortly after his arrival. A fourth son Antoine, was born that year.
 • 1901: Bernard went to France for three months and exhibited in a gallery.
He reunited with poet/theater manager Paul Fort and became involved
with his sister Andree, an artist and pianist, while still married to
Hannenah. He returned to Cairo accompanied by his mistress Andree.
(Portrait of Andree Fort.)
• 1902: Daughter Irene was born by wife Hannenah.
• 1903: Founding a short-lived publication, Le Parnesse, Bernard left Cairo
for Venice with Andree and his two children, Irene and Antoine. He later
returned to Cairo to separate from Hannenah who had no interest in Bernard or living in Paris,
taking both of the children permanently. Mistress Fort bore his child who died within first
year.
• 1904: On his way to Paris, he visited Cezanne and established a home in
Tonnerre-sur Yvonne.
• 1905-12: Traveling between Paris and Tonnerre, he wrote art critic
essays, poems, plays; created book illustrations and paintings, mostly
landscapes (1910). In 1908, he showed his paintings at a
PostImpressionist exhibition in Prague, and in 1910, his Orientalist work
in Paris. With father passing in 1911, he received an inheritance that
enabled him to live a better life. (Sample of landscape)

1910’s

• 1913/21: Showed some of his woodcuts. Meets/falls in love

with Persian, Armene Ohanian, an accomplished dancer, who
he lived with on/off for three years in Villeneuve-les-Avignon.
Supported himself decorating the church with frescoes. After
three years, Armene left him and he returned to Tonnerre.
(Portrait of Armene.)
• 1915: Meets/cares for Andre Maire, a young artist. Guides him in technical advice that Bernard
wishes he would have learned in his youth. Maire later marries daughter Irene in 1922.
• 1919-21: Returns to Paris. Lives with Mme Duchateau, long-time friend and his daughter Irene.
1920’s

• 1922/25: Moved back to Italy where he gained respect as an artist.

Major paintings were Le Christ Guerissant les Maladies, Les Heroes, Le
Doute and La Construction du Temple influenced by his Catholicism,
shown in The Maquette, painted in 1926, a likeness of The Passion of
Jesus Christ. (The Maquette)
• 1927: Left Italy for the Loire Valley where he gave lectures and
organized conferences on art.
1930’s

• 1930: Affair with prostitute Catherine Schwartz (Rina) 40 years

younger. She was his model in many nude portraits,
accompanied him to Venice and lived in an apartment he
provided. Upon her death in an auto accident, he continued his
passion for painting nudes that were remarkably realistic, a shift
in his style. (Portrait of Rina.)
• 1937: Wife Hannenah died.
• 1938: He married Andree Fort and lived in Paris and Tonnerre until 1940. They had three
children, Milandre, Michel-Ange and Elisabeth.
(Photo of the five Bernard children; Milandre, Irene, Elisabeth, Michel-Ange, Antoine.)

1940’s

• 1940 Prior to passing, Bernard was appointed to the prestigious Institute de France.
• 1941, April 16: Bernard died in his studio, 15, Quai Bourbon in
Paris of heart failure.
The ideas of Emile Bernard were those of the Symbolist
movement but the path he followed in pursuit of great art was
often disrupted by his restless and versatile genius, his travels and
inability to land in one place, his ego driven and lurid lifestyle,
which was in conflict with his Catholicism, making it difficult to
assess his talent and prominence in his time. To this day he is
recognized as a painter, poet, theorist, writer, critic, book
illustrator, teacher and editor.

Who is to say that is not greatness?