About

The Artist
 
 
Bertrand de Vismes is an esteemed French watercolor artist whose work has gained significant recognition in recent years. In 2006, Bertrand de Vismes made his debut at the prestigious Salon du Dessin et de la Peinture à l'Eau in Paris, where he sold his first painting to a discerning collector. Since then, he has steadily built a solid reputation throughout France, selling over 1,500 original watercolor artworks to date. His work has also found an international audience, with collectors in the US, UK, and across Europe adding his paintings to their collections.
 
"Drawing has been second nature to me since childhood. According to the testimony of one of my relatives, I was practicing perspective at the age of 3. My roots trace back to the Pays Basque in southwestern France, a region I feel deeply connected to.
 

For a while I attended the evening classes of the city of Paris - drawing and engraving. My inspiration comes from painters such as Cézanne, Dufy, Matisse, Staël and Modigliani, and sculptors like Bourdelle, Quinquaud and Janniot. Their mastery of line and form guides my own approach.

I work mainly in watercolour, a medium which, to my mind, offers transparency combined with unequalled density. For me, the shape defines the line, not the other way round. I also like drawing in Indian ink, which allows me to explore other graphic dimensions.

Working 'without a net', without the possibility of repentance, is an integral part of my artistic approach. The execution remains random. The pigments react in unpredictable ways. It is a risky technique. This mixture of anticipation, the unexpected and 'accidents' is what captivates me.

I paint in series, without recurring themes, tackling a wide variety of subjects: seascapes, mountains, cityscapes, bathers, flamenco... For me, the simpler the means, the greater the sensitivity. This principle guides every stroke and every colour I apply to canvas.

The joy of living is the common thread running through my work.

More than words, I prefer to let my brushes do the talking."

 

 

Selected Exhibitions

 

Le Salon du Dessin et de la Peinture a l'eau (regular exhibitor), Grand Palais, Paris 2006-2011

Galerie Claire de Villaret, Paris

Galerie Everarts, Paris

Galerie Art présent, Paris

Galerie Pippa, Paris

Phone Régie, Paris

Mairie du 6ème, Paris

Librairie Lardanchet, Paris

Palais de Chaillot / Vente de la Marine, Paris

Galerie des boulistes, Paris

Gras Savoye, Neuilly, France

Les passions de Tom, Versailles, France

Quintessence, Versailles, France

Carré à la farine, Versailles, France

Le Cap Seguin, Boulogne Billancourt, France

Entre nous, Meudon, France

Galerie Cyane, Nancy, France

Galerie Mary Wind, St Martin-de-Re, Ile de Re, France

Galerie Alain Viguier, St Martin-de-Re, Ile de Re, France

Atelier de Titanne, La Bastide Clairence, France

Atelier d'encadrement Corinne Laborde, St Jean-de-Luz, France

Galerie Chaye, Honfleur, France

Restaurant Cum laude / Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany

Galerie Maringer, St Polten, Austria

 

Publications / Books

 

Venezia Vivace, Collection Patrimoine "Des Pierres et des Ailes", 2019