Born in Marseille in 1934, he began his life as a healthy, happy child. Rendered deaf by an early childhood illness, Vernet-Bonfort embraced visual arts in study and practice as a refuge from the silence of the outer world, permitting elaborate expression through a vivid and colourful visual language. He studied at L'école des Beaux-Arts in Marseille from 1948 to 1957.

A frequently exhibited and lauded French artist active since the 1950's, Vernet-Bonfort's work demonstrates the intersection of old and new masters' technique, with a strong personal sensibility. Upon completion of his studies he was awarded the Prix Claverie, the first of many future accolades. The year of his graduation also marked his ...