Istvan Bernath was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1953. He was recognized as a child prodigy and received an international honor for his art when he was only ten years of age. But Bernath's talent was stymied; he was born into an aristocratic family which was dismantled when the communist occupied his country. The government was harsh on previously wealthy families and they owned and operated all of the art galleries. Only politically correct artists and work were accepted, so Bernath would have to find another way.

Instead of compromising his work, Bernath instead went to work in a ceramic factory during the day and developed his craft during the night by painting for a religious store. He began to explore the European traditional style, and developed an early appreciation of beauty and power of the human figure.

Bernath gradually became an accomplished figurative painter in his homeland in spite of the political climate. But he knew he would need to leave Hungary to continue growing. With his wife, he left Hungary for the U.S.. As a artist, he began to explore the Art Deco style; he was drawn to its logical and geometrical lines and relative simplicity. As Bernath's style evolved, his figurative images reflected luxury, leisure and excitement. His interpretation of the Art Deco style lead to a string of highly successful exhibitions throughout the U.S.. During this time, Merv Griffin’s hotel casino, in Atlantic City, needed a life size trompe l'oeil. Bernath got the commission. He became interested in mural painting, resulting in numerous commissions in the U.S. and Europe, including hotels, restaurants and other public areas.

Bernath's ability to create and experience a variety of styles enables him to convey his feelings and emotions. His work became Hollywood’s artist of choice for collecting. Merv Griffin, Ed McMahon, Clint Eastwood have all been collector fans of his work. Today, to keep up with high demand in the U.S. and abroad, Bernath's work is being published, making it available for individual collectors and connoisseurs of art everywhere.