| Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour | |
| Birth Date: | 1838 6, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Boulogne-sur-Mer, France |
| Death Place: | Paris, France |
| Nationality: | French |
| Field: | Painting |
Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour (29 June 1838 – 29 November 1910) was a French painter, printmaker, and illustrator. He was known for his war art.
Berne-Bellecour was born on 29 June 1838 in Boulogne, France. He studied under François-Édouard Picot and Félix-Joseph Barrias.[1] He initially painted landscapes and portraits.[2] He worked in photography to support himself while he studied.[3] He also attended the École des Beaux-Arts and competed for the Prix de Rome in 1859.[4]
Berne-Bellecour, along with his brother-in-law Jehan Georges Vibert, produced a comedic play titled "La Tribune Mécanique"[1] which was performed at the Palais Royal in 1862.[5] He showcased his works at several Salons in the 1860s and later.[1]
He won a prize for photography at the Universal Exposition of 1867.[3] In 1868, Vibert encouraged Berne-Bellecour to devote himself entirely to painting.
Berne-Bellecour, Vibert, Alexander Louis Leloir, and Édouard Detaille went on a trip to Africa in 1870, later returning to serve in the Franco-Prussian War.[6]
Berne-Bellecour served in the francs-tireurs and won a medal for gallantry under fire. His later works focused on military subjects.[3]
He also practiced as a sculptor and an etcher. He was named a Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor in 1878.[3] [7] [8]
Berne-Bellecour died in Paris on 29 November 1910. His son Jean-Jacques Berne-Bellecour (1874–1939) was also a military painter.[9]