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Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

France • 1928 - 1999 • 818 followers
Featured in: Best sellers Master Artists

At 15, I knew nothing would stop me because I wanted everything, immediately, and I would do whatever it took to achieve it.

Nationality

French

Categories

Printmakers

Artistic movements

Expressionism, Calligraphy

Themes

Portrait, Architecture, figurative

Biography

Bernard Buffet (born July 10, 1928, Paris) was a renowned French expressionist artist, known for his miserabilist style, which depicted emotional suffering, alienation, and psychological distress. Accepted into the École des Beaux-Arts at 15, Buffet won the Prix de la Critique at 20 and was introduced to collectors through Aujame, marking the start of his commercial success. His distinctive works, featuring angular forms and a muted palette of grey, black, and green, evoke feelings of anguish and emotional turmoil, contrasting sharply with the rise of abstract art in mid-20th-century Europe.

Over his prolific career, Buffet created more than 8,000 works including paintings, watercolors, drawings, lithographs, and prints. Despite criticism from the art elite for his traditional style and massive output, Buffet's commercial success mirrored that of Renoir and Picasso. His works are housed in major collections worldwide, with the Bernard Buffet Museum in Surugadaira, Japan showcasing nearly 1,000 of his paintings. Known for his expressionist realism, Buffet's figures—characterized by contracted hands, wrinkled foreheads, and angular faces—remain iconic for their emotional depth.

Buffet's work was exhibited globally, including major solo exhibitions at galleries and museums in Paris, New York, and Tokyo. His paintings were often part of the Salon d'Automne and showcased in prestigious venues like the Galerie Drouant-David and the Galerie Maurice Garnier. These exhibitions brought his distinctive style to a broader audience, cementing his place in the history of modern French art. His exhibitions attracted both public admiration and elite critique, positioning him as a figure of intense debate in the art world.

Despite ongoing criticism for being too commercial, Buffet's art endures, continuing to influence expressionist painters today. His legacy lives on, celebrated in museums and collections around the world. After struggling with Parkinson's disease, Buffet tragically ended his life on October 4, 1999, at the age of 71. His works remain a cornerstone of 20th-century art history.

In 2024, the Alexis Pentcheff Gallery in Marseille hosted "Bernard Buffet, autrement," an exhibition curated by Nicolas Buffet, offering a fresh and intimate look at the artist's lesser-known works. Featuring around twenty pieces, the show revealed new facets of Buffet's artistic legacy. Meanwhile, the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris continues to highlight his influence, preserving a significant collection of his works. These recent exhibitions reflect a renewed interest in Bernard Buffet, solidifying his place as a key figure in modern art.

Explore all artworks (138)

Print, La Guillotine, Bernard Buffet

La Guillotine

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Homard, Bernard Buffet

Homard

Print . 56.5 x 75.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 22.2 x 29.7 x 0 inch

$4,242 $3,394

Recommended by Artsper
Print, Escamillo, Bernard Buffet

Escamillo

Print . 74 x 54 x 2 cm Print . 29.1 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch

$2,909

Private collection
Print, Le Clown et la Danseuse, Bernard Buffet

Le Clown et la Danseuse

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Les fers à repasser, Bernard Buffet

Les fers à repasser

Print . 56 x 76 x 0.01 cm Print . 22 x 29.9 x 0 inch

$3,394

Print, Le Jardin de L'evéché, Bernard Buffet

Le Jardin de L'evéché

Print . 64.5 x 49 x 0.1 cm Print . 25.4 x 19.3 x 0 inch

$3,636

Print, La statue de la liberté, Bernard Buffet

La statue de la liberté

Print . 76 x 57.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22.6 x 0 inch

$5,675

Print, La cafetière rouge, Bernard Buffet

La cafetière rouge

Print . 66 x 51 x 4 cm Print . 26 x 20.1 x 1.6 inch

$3,636

Print, La géante, Bernard Buffet

La géante

Print . 71 x 50 x 0.3 cm Print . 28 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$3,030

Recommended by Artsper
Print, Robespierre, Bernard Buffet

Robespierre

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Lamp, Bernard Buffet

Lamp

Print . 49.8 x 65 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.6 x 25.6 x 0 inch

$2,909

Print, Carmen, Bernard Buffet

Carmen

Print . 75 x 55 x 3 cm Print . 29.5 x 21.7 x 1.2 inch

$2,909

Private collection
Print, Naples, Bernard Buffet

Naples

Print . 38 x 29 x 3 cm Print . 15 x 11.4 x 1.2 inch

$3,030

Print, Le Panier de Fruit, Bernard Buffet

Le Panier de Fruit

Print . 50 x 63 cm Print . 19.7 x 24.8 inch

$7,030

Print, La Place, Bernard Buffet

La Place

Print . 55 x 75 x 1 cm Print . 21.7 x 29.5 x 0.4 inch

$2,424

Print, Mirabeau, Bernard Buffet

Mirabeau

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Les Fleurs, Bernard Buffet

Les Fleurs

Print . 76 x 57 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22.4 x 0 inch

$4,242

Print, Le Cirque de L'Étoile, Bernard Buffet

Le Cirque de L'Étoile

Print . 72 x 102 cm Print . 28.3 x 40.2 inch

$7,879

Print, Le clocher de Sauzon, Bernard Buffet

Le clocher de Sauzon

Print . 56.5 x 76.5 x 0.2 cm Print . 22.2 x 30.1 x 0.1 inch

$3,515

Print, Les oeufs sur le plat, Bernard Buffet

Les oeufs sur le plat

Print . 58 x 76 cm Print . 22.8 x 29.9 inch

$7,030

Print, Escamillo, Bernard Buffet

Escamillo

Print . 73.5 x 51.5 x 2 cm Print . 28.9 x 20.3 x 0.8 inch

$6,665

Private collection
Print, Valmy, Bernard Buffet

Valmy

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Paix - Le Pacifiste, Bernard Buffet

Paix - Le Pacifiste

Print . 76 x 59.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 23.4 x 0 inch

$4,242

Print, Les Tricoteuses, Bernard Buffet

Les Tricoteuses

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Fouquier-Tinville, Bernard Buffet

Fouquier-Tinville

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Danton, Bernard Buffet

Danton

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Le Tambour, Bernard Buffet

Le Tambour

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, La République, Bernard Buffet

La République

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$3,030

Print, Crocus jaunes, Bernard Buffet

Crocus jaunes

Print . 58 x 75 x 0.1 cm Print . 22.8 x 29.5 x 0 inch

$2,400

Print, Le Torero, Bernard Buffet

Le Torero

Print . 76 x 56 x 1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0.4 inch

$3,394

Print, Le singe musicien, Bernard Buffet

Le singe musicien

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Clown Travesti, Bernard Buffet

Clown Travesti

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Les Trapézistes, Bernard Buffet

Les Trapézistes

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, L'éléphant, Bernard Buffet

L'éléphant

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Mademoiselle Colombine, Bernard Buffet

Mademoiselle Colombine

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Le chien savant, Bernard Buffet

Le chien savant

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Le monocycle, Bernard Buffet

Le monocycle

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Les deux acrobates, Bernard Buffet

Les deux acrobates

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, La Naine, Bernard Buffet

La Naine

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, L'otarie, Bernard Buffet

L'otarie

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Le Cheval, Bernard Buffet

Le Cheval

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Les Deux Soeurs, Bernard Buffet

Les Deux Soeurs

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, Mademoiselle, Bernard Buffet

Mademoiselle

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, L' Écuyère, Bernard Buffet

L' Écuyère

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$2,364

Print, L'avaleur de sabres, Bernard Buffet

L'avaleur de sabres

Print . 72 x 51 x 1 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 x 0.4 inch

$2,364

Print, Lescamillo, Bernard Buffet

Lescamillo

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$4,679

Print, Vase of Flowers, Bernard Buffet

Vase of Flowers

Print . 76 x 58 x 0.1 cm Print . 29.9 x 22.8 x 0 inch

$3,103

Print, Tentes sur la plage, Bernard Buffet

Tentes sur la plage

Print . 58 x 76 x 1 cm Print . 22.8 x 29.9 x 0.4 inch

$7,030

Print, Clown à la trompette, Bernard Buffet

Clown à la trompette

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$4,606

Print, Clown JoJo, Bernard Buffet

Clown JoJo

Print . 72 x 51 cm Print . 28.3 x 20.1 inch

$4,606

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Bernard Buffet's studio

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