Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour (29 June 1838 – 29 November 1910) was a French painter,

printmaker Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed technique ...

, and illustrator. He was known for his

war art Military art is art with a military subject matter, regardless of its style or medium. The battle scene is one of the oldest types of art in developed civilizations, as rulers have always been keen to celebrate their victories and intimidate ...

Biography

Berne-Bellecour was born on 29 June 1838 in

Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...

, France. He studied under

François-Édouard Picot François-Édouard Picot (; 10 October 1786 – 15 March 1868) was a French painter during the July Monarchy, painting mythological, religious and historical subjects. Life Born in Paris, Picot studied with François-André Vincent and Jacq ...

and Félix-Joseph Barrias. He initially painted

landscapes A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or human-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

and

portraits A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better re ...

. He worked in photography to support himself while he studied. He also attended the

École des Beaux-Arts ; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...

and competed for the

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

in 1859. Berne-Bellecour, along with his brother-in-law

Jehan Georges Vibert Jehan Georges Vibert or Jean Georges Vibert (30 September 1840 – 28 July 1902) was a French academic painter. Biography He was born in Paris, the son of engraver and publisher Théodore Vibert, and grandson of the influential rose-breeder J ...

, produced a comedic play titled "La Tribune Mécanique" which was performed at the

Palais Royal The Palais-Royal () is a former French royal palace located on Rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The screened entrance court faces the Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre. Originally called the Palais-Cardinal, it was ...

in 1862. He showcased his works at several Salons in the 1860s and later. He won a prize for photography at the Universal Exposition of 1867. In 1868, Vibert encouraged Berne-Bellecour to devote himself entirely to painting. Berne-Bellecour, Vibert, Alexander Louis Leloir, and Édouard Detaille went on a trip to Africa in 1870, later returning to serve in the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

. Berne-Bellecour served in the

francs-tireurs (; ) were irregular military formations deployed by France during the early stages of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71). The term was revived and used by partisans to name two major French Resistance movements set up to fight against Nazi G ...

and won a medal for gallantry under fire. His later works focused on military subjects. He also practiced as a sculptor and an

etcher Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...

. He was named a Chevalier in the French

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

in 1878. Berne-Bellecour died in Paris on 29 November 1910. His son Jean-Jacques Berne-Bellecour (1874–1939) was also a military painter.

Gallery

File:Étienne Prosper Berne-Bellecour - Chemin creux sur les côtes de Normandie.jpg, '' Low Road on the Coast of Normandy'' (1864) File:Étienne Prosper Berne-Bellecour - The Lover.jpg, ''The Lover'' (1869) File:Étienne Prosper Berne-Bellecour - Soldiers resting.jpg, ''Soldiers resting'' (1883) File:Étienne Prosper Berne-Bellecour - L'Attaque.jpg, '' L'Attaque'' (1874) File:Brooklyn Museum - Picket Guards - Etienne Prosper Berne-Bellecour - overall.jpg, ''Picket Guards'' (1891)

References

External links

Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour at the Art Renewal Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berne-Bellecour, Etienne-Prosper 1838 births 1910 deaths People from Boulogne-sur-Mer École des Beaux-Arts alumni Knights of the Legion of Honour 19th-century French painters French male painters 19th-century French photographers 19th-century French sculptors 19th-century French male artists French male sculptors 19th-century French war artists 20th-century French painters 20th-century French sculptors 20th-century French male artists French war artists French printmakers French illustrators French landscape painters French portrait painters 19th-century French etchers French military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War