Bernard De Claviere (French, 1934 - 2016), La Terre

Oil on canvas, 1980, signed at lower right, inscribed to the verso, presented in a giltwood frame.

Stretcher size 32 x 25 3/4 in.; Frame dimensions 38 3/4 x 32 1/2 in.

Exhibited:
Bernard de Claviere: Exhibition, Lexington Horse Park Museum, Lexington, Kentucky, April 1983
Collection of Anne and Robert K. Zelle, Nashville, Tennessee and Gulf Stream, Florida
Brunk Auctions, Zelle Collection, American & European, Asheville, North Carolina, May 2016, Lot 222.

Bernard de Clavière d’Hust was a French painter celebrated for portraits of animals. Born into an aristocratic family in Lyon, he began painting seriously in his mid-30s. His first commission, a champion filly, launched a prolific career that spanned over 40 years and earned him exhibitions in worldwide. Drawing inspiration from classical masters like Rembrandt and Stubbs, de Clavière merged traditional oil techniques with romantic realism.

He is particularly known for royal and high-profile commissions, including portraits of Queen Elizabeth II’s horse Burmese and her corgi Smokey, as well as legendary racehorses like Seattle Slew and Spectacular Bid. He spent a significant portion of his career working in the American south in the late 1970s to the 1990s and permanently lived in Nashville from 2002 until his death in 2016. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the leading animal artists of the 20th century, with works housed in private and royal collections around the world.

Minor scuffing to the varnish, small dents to the lower right part of the canvas.