Bernard Cathelin

 Bernard Cathelin (20 May 1919 – 17 April 2004) was a French painter born in Paris and a member of the School of Paris which included Picasso, Chagall, Frenel, Matisse, Dufy and many others including Maurice Brianchon, Cathelin's teacher at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. Although he received critical acclaim as early as 1950, Cathelin was not able to live solely from his painting until 1955. Since that time Cathelin has received steadily increasing recognition and has been featured in over 50 exhibitions worldwide. Throughout his life, he maintained a deep-rooted love for his country and especially for the Drôme, where his mother came from.

Early life
Born in Paris in 1919, Bernard Cathelin held a profound affection for his home, the Drome, his mother's place of origin, throughout his life. His educational journey included classical studies at the lycées Carnot and Janson de Sailly in Paris, as well as the lycée Emile Loubet in Valence.

In 1939, he enlisted in the army. Following his military service and return in 1945, Cathelin pursued studies at the French National School for further studies in the Decorative Arts. During this period, he also honed his craft in the studio of Maurice Brianchon for three years.

Art
Cathelin part of the School of Paris was famous for oil paintings and lithographs with a richness of texture and vivid colour. The three favorite themes in Cathelin's work are still life, landscapes and portraits of women.

Cathelin had traveled extensively around the world. Countries such as Mexico, Russia, Japan, Italy and Spain were a source of inspiration for his creations: and ever the landscapes of the Drôme in and neighbouring Provence where he found his roots.

Honors
Elected to the Legion of Honour by the French President of the Republic, François Mitterrand in 1995, the Musée de Valence dedicated him a retrospective of his work in the summer of 1997. This exhibition, by drawing local and worldwide visitors, established a new attendance record for the museum.

In the summer of 1997, the Musée de Valence paid tribute to Bernard Cathelin with a dedicated retrospective of his work. This exhibition attracted both local and international visitors, setting a new attendance record for the museum.

In 2000, the Shanghai Art Museum in China organised a retrospective exhibition presenting 40 years of Bernard Cathelin's works.

Bernard Cathelin died on 17 April 2004, but exhibitions are often dedicated to him in France and across the world.