Changing Gallery I
Bernard de Clavière: Animalier Extraordinaire
The work of internationally renowned painter of Count Bernard de Clavière is currently on view in the Tennessee State Museum’s changing galleries. Bernard de Clavière: Animalier Extraordinaire will present 67 paintings on loan from private collections.
Born in Lyon, France in 1934, de Clavière and his wife, Barbara, relocated to Nashville in 2002, where the artist already had many friends among the Nashville art and equestrian communities.
During his youth, de Clavière moved to Paris, where he worked in an office during daylight hours and spent his nights drawing his “beloved” horses. Influenced by the art of George Stubbs and Jean-Baptiste Oudry, both renowned animaliers, (artists known for their realistic portrayal of animals). De Clavière’s painting technique improved as he experimented with light and in mixing his subjects with the background, and he eventually discovered his own classical style. In 1972, New York’s Wally Findlay Galleries featured some of de Clavière’s work, but it was at his 1975 exhibition at the John Partridge Gallery, London, where he had his first sold-out show.
Early in his career, de Clavière’s work was well received by J. T. Lundy, (the owner of Lexington, Kentucky’s acclaimed Calumet Farms, a thoroughbred breeding and racing facility), who commissioned him to paint the farm’s prize-winning stud, Alydar. Today, the Keeneland Race Track Association and the Kentucky Horse Park Museum also hold works by de Clavière in their collections.
Early in his career, de Clavière’s work was well received by J. T. Lundy, (the owner of Lexington, Kentucky’s acclaimed Calumet Farms, a thoroughbred breeding and racing facility), who commissioned him to paint the farm’s prize-winning stud, Alydar. Today, the Keeneland Race Track Association and the Kentucky Horse Park Museum also hold works by de Clavière in their collections.
At an exhibition in Palm Beach in 1978, de Clavière met Nashville’s Guilford Dudley, former ambassador to Denmark, with whom he struck up a friendship based on their mutual interests in horses and hunting. This resulted in stag hunts in France and fox hunts in Middle Tennessee, as well as portrait commissions from several prominent Music City natives seated astride their horses. The artist views Nashville as his “beginning of life in America.” On one of his stateside jaunts, Henry Hooker befriended de Clavière, who he then introduced him to John Sloan and Calvin Houghland of the Hillsboro Hounds. Fortunately for the artist, more portrait requests ensued.
While de Clavière was living in New York City from the late ‘80s to the mid-90s, a writer for The Wall Street Journal discovered his paintings at an exhibition in the city and anointed him as “one of the leading animaliers of the 20th century.” It was during this period that the Westervelt Press commissioned de Clavière to paint a series entitled, Working Dogs of the World. His most famous commission, however, came from the French ambassador in London, who asked him to paint Queen Elizabeth’s black mare, Burmese, and her corgi, Smokey, in front of Windsor Castle for a state gift France wanted to present to the queen.
Currently de Clavière is focused on a new project: designing the paintings and interior friezes for the royal arena in Qatar. During a visit to Kentucky, he met Judy Forbis, the president of the Egyptian Society for Arabian Stallions who became enamored of the artist’s work and commissioned three paintings of prize-winning stallions in her stables. Nearly 20 years later, Forbis called de Clavière with the news that a billion dollar world-class horse arena was being constructed in Qatar and he had been selected to decorate the structure with his paintings.
“A horse is mysterious. What I paint is horse – the spirit, the force of silence, its breath in an empty stall, without romanticism, and sentimentality, without false nostalgia,” de Clavière stated. For more than 40 years has he captured this essence in his art form, with his paintings sought out by collectors in 23 countries.
Bernard de Clavière: Animalier Extraordinaire continues through August 22, 2010 in the museum’s changing galleries. There is no admission charge.
Home Page Image: Bernard de Clavière, Big River, oil on canvas
Above: Bernard de Clavière, Henry and Foxy Nephew, oil on canvas, 1980
For more information contact Mary Skinner, Community & Media Relations Officer at mary.skinner@tn.gov