Philippe Bertho

Sometimes it takes awhile for an artist to find himself. Such is the case with French-born, Philippe Bertho. He has been a lumberjack, a salesman, a warehouseman and more. But when a true artist finds his voice, the results can be nothing short of masterful. And masterful is the best word to describe this extraordinary artwork.
Philippe Bertho is classically trained having enrolled in art school in Reims, France in the early 1990s. There, he spent considerable time studying decorative trompe l�oeil painting. Tromp l�oeil (�to fool the eye�) is a technique used by artists to create the illusion of a 3rd dimension on a flat surface. As a technique with which Bertho has grown adept, it is obvious from his artwork that he fools more than the eye - he draws one in by the heart and also quite frequently by the funny bone.
Despite his ability to perfectly render reproductions of master works, Bertho was drawn to the world of fantasy and illusion. As his style developed, he drew inspiration from renowned contemporary trompe-l�oeil artist, Jacques Poirier. In his early work, Bertho exhibited ingenuity by including unusual materials in his paintings. Employing objects that other�s found useless corrugated iron, rusted metal boxes, old light bulbs � he was fascinated with his ability to bring his art alive by creating dimension either by the addition of these items directly onto his canvas or later through the technique of trompe l�oeil.
Most recently, his attention has turned towards Pop Art. Using a combination of narrative figuration and Pop inspiration, the result has become the basis for his simple, thought-provoking artworks.
Philippe Bertho is an extraordinary new and young talent and he is beginning to garner strong attention within and from outside of the art world.
Bertho�s artwork is widely collected by institutions and individual collectors worldwide, and has been shown in galleries in Europe, the United States and the Caribbean. He has participated in salon shows and exhibitions throughout France.