Roger Bezombes was a French painter, sculptor, designer and printmaker. Born in Paris, he was orphaned young and worked numerous jobs to support his pursuit of art. At 17, he helped install the major Bauhaus exhibition at the Grand Palais in 1930. He later studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he met Maurice Denis, who introduced him to the works of Gauguin, Van Gogh and Matisse – all of whom influenced his style.

After winning a major award in 1936, he received a grant to study in Africa. His travels remained a key source of inspiration, and on a 1951 trip to Greece, he developed a passion for tapestry. In 1955, he was appointed official painter of the French Navy. He later produced promotional work for museums, Air France and SNCF, and exhibited widely throughout his life. His brightly coloured landscapes and figure studies frequently drew on African motifs. He died in Paris in 1994.