I honestly dont see the allure for Bernado. At all. Can someone explain this to me? Also, the fact that he is gay just kind of pops out of nowhere, there isn't anything I can find in the rest of his description that would allude to such.
However, If Bernado were to be selected, I would want him to have a fitting portrait. Most of the suggested portraits are unsatisfying at best. Except for one that Opera suggested half-way through the thread, and yet seemed to be shot down somehow? Any-who, I think the full portrait would be perfect for Bernado.
http://satirick.deviantart.com/art/The-Puppeteer-4492283 <- this is the Picture for Bernado. All of the other portraits lack Bernado's sense of style, wether morbid or cheesy. But this one ... this one works.
I've refrained from commenting on this thread until all the votes were closed, because I didn't want to predjudice the voting in any way. Although I wrote the background for Bernado, I voted Longzi Tian, as voting for myself would be gauche. I enjoyed James Marquembert too.
I like the artwork. I really couldn't find anything that was suitable and the internet is great for text, but it's a lot trickier when it comes to visual and audio media. Hence the four-armed hypnotist, who has two arms too many for my liking. Ideally I would have found a Roman-esque puppeteer.
I can't describe the allure of Bernado for the other posters, just like I can't tell you why some people prefer the Stones and some people prefer the Beatles, but I can share some of my thought processes with you, if this will be of any use.
Bernado is the middle name Niccolò Machiavelli, the politican's politician, a man so cynical that we get the term "Old Nick" meaning the devil from him. (Old Nick also hints at what is to come) Juvenal wrote Satires, which is famous for the line Who watches the watchmen. Again this ties in with the central refrain, and also about how those in authority ought to be scrutinised carefully. The refrain "I would watch and I would listen" also links with the audience for Bernado's shows, the performer's response to the audience, the art of politics andmanipulating others and, ultimately, Bernado's current situation.
Puppetry ties in with the audience, but it also ties in with politics and the means by which Bernado is quietly exploiting the system to his own ends. That we later find out that Bernado himself is merely a puppet himself builds on this line of thought. The events described in the "Future" also give a dystopian glimpse of what might happen if Bernado's (muse's) scheme ultimately succeeds, and this also presents the world as if all were puppets.
Bernado also ties in with the passage of time, so we get to see how life used to be, how his life is now and, if the event chain is followed to it's full conclusion, a vision of what life might be like in the future. This sets up a Past versus Future scenario between the Scions and the Mechanos, a line which hasn't really been exploited until now. It also finishes up Verocchios arc and give a hint as to what his dream was about.
Being gay. Yes, I guess that isn't obvious. Bernado is Roma.. er, Patrian, so his choice of sexuality isn't totally out of character.
@valkrion: Feel free to use it in FF+
@Opera: Now that the contest is over, you may want to hide the Big Reveal with something more cryptic like "Try playing Bernado against Verrochio"
)) ... ... actually, it's not a bad idea 
