Bernard GANTNER (1928-2018). - Lot 81

Bernard GANTNER (1928-2018). Snow in Franche-Comté Oil on canvas, signed lower right and dated 1995. H_ 38 cm L_ 55 cm Musée Gantner 2006 Illustrated book, 170 pages. Bernard Gantner (1928-2018), born and died in Belfort, was a French painter, lithographer and aquafortist renowned for his poetic landscapes and prolific graphic output. His talent for drawing was evident from childhood, and encouraged by the curator of the Belfort Fine Arts Museum, he turned to painting at the age of ten. He became known for his winter landscapes and depictions of nature - forests, rivers, snow and light - often inspired by the Vosges and Franche-Comté regions. Alongside his painting, he produced almost 4,000 oils, 700 watercolors, 500 lithographs and 100 etchings, as well as illustrating bibliophile works, which testifies to the breadth of his oeuvre. His style remains figurative yet sensitive, combining classical rigor and contemporary poetry, with a marked attachment to the seasons and the atmosphere of places. Gantner was awarded the Prix de la Critique in 1961 and the Légion d'honneur in 1998. He created the Musée Gantner in Lachapelle-sous-Chaux to present his works and personal collection. His works have been exhibited internationally, in Japan, the United States, Canada and Europe, making him a major figure in French landscape painting of the XXᵉ century, deeply attached to his native territory yet with worldwide recognition.