Emile Bernard (born 28 April 1868) was a French Post-Impressionist writer and painter. He had artistic friendship with Eugene Boch, Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh, and at a later time Paul Cezanne. Most of his notable work was accomplished in the years 1886 through 1897, while he was still at a young age. Bernard also associated with the two late 19th-century movements – Synthetism and Cloisonnism. His literary work, comprising poetry, plays, and art historical statements as well as art criticism are less known. The historical statements contain first hand information on the crucial period of modern art to which Robert had contributed.
Bernard began his studies at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs. Later on he joined the Atelier Cormon where he tried his hands on pointillism and impressionism and befriended fellow artists Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Louis Anquetin. He was suspended from the École des Beaux-Arts for "showing expressive tendencies in his paintings.” After the suspension, he took his time to tour Brittany on foot and got enamored by the landscape and tradition. Bernard and Gauguin met briefly in Pont-Aven in 1886. At this meeting, they exchanged little about art. Bernard said, looking back on that time, his talent was already fully developed and he believed his style played a big role in the development of Gauguin’s mature style.
Bernard joined a group of Symbolist painter including Ferdinand Hodler and Odilon Redon. Two years later, he started travelling to Italy, Spain and Egypt and after that his style became more eclectic. Bernard presented his artwork in several different formats. Framed Emile Bernard art remains the most popular with many art collectors.