Early Life, Family and Training Born in Bruges, Bernard Cloet grew up in a household where craftsmanship was a fundamental part of daily life. He was the son of Jean Baptiste Cloet, a master plasterer, and Anne Marie Victoire Bourdon. This familial connection to skilled labor likely provided a grounded beginning for a young man destined for the arts. His roots remained firmly planted in Bruges, the city where he would eventually spend his life. His formal education began at the Académie des Beaux-arts de Bruges. As he progressed, he became a student in the first class for prints at the Brug…