Bernard Dufour (1922–2016) was a French painter and photographer known for his expressive, often erotic works. He initially studied agricultural engineering but was forced into labor in Germany during World War II, where he attended the University of Heidelberg and explored the works of Delacroix and Mallarmé. After the war, he copied works by Michelangelo and Tintoretto at the Louvre, which influenced his artistic development.
His first solo exhibition took place in 1948 at Galerie Maeght. Initially working in an abstract style, he shifted towards figurative painting in the 1960s, creating self-portraits, mourning figures, and controversial nudes. His works often explored themes of eroticism and death, highlighting the relationship between the artist and the model.
From the 1970s onward, Dufour also engaged in photography and wrote artistic journals. His work influenced Jacques Rivette’s film La Belle Noiseuse (1991), in which he served as the "hand of the artist" painting key images. He spent his final years in Villeneuve, leaving behind bold, tension-filled works that balanced intimacy and voyeuristic perspective.