Bernard Gantner was born in Belfort, in 1928, into a family from the Alsace region of France. At the age of nine years old his talent emerged; his propensity for drawing was remarkable. His grandfather, who was a teacher, was able to nurture and encourage Gantner's gift, and taught him to appreciate the wonders of nature.

During World War II, Gantner was fortunate in that the curator from the museum in Belfort became his mentor, and initiated him into the world of oil painting. The museum was closed to the public because of the war, and so Gantner practically had the museum to himself. Gantner was able to admire and study the medieval works, and art by such renowned artists as Delacroix, Courbet and Jongkind.

After finishing school in Belfort, Ganter went to Paris to expand his horizons. He studied at the School of Fine Arts, and spent much of his time soaking in the enormous amount of culture Paris had to offer; the museums, the galleries, the architecture. After about a year, Gantner returned home, but he began to experience many material hardships. This difficult time, though, never daunted his purpose nor compromised his standards.

At the end of the 1950's, Gantner was noticed by the great art critic Claude Roger Mars. Shortly after that, he won the Critic's Prize in 1961 and since that time Gantner's reputation never ceased to grow. Also renowned for his remarkable work in lithography,Gantner has illustrated several De Luxe collector's editions. There have been more than 60 exhibitions devoted to his work in France and abroad.

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