Ghostly Calligraphies

Though calligraphy is the art of writing, that art is measured by the interpretation of the beholder. Using the tools of a writer, whether that be the brush, ink, paint or pen the artist can create a connection between symbol and gesture. Unsurprisingly, calligraphy finds a home in the Abstract Expressionism movement that followed the end of World War II. The likes of Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler and Franz Kline sought to create deeper connections with the self and express what was reserved for the interior in a much more honest way. But that interior may be filled with an interest in the fantastic, plagued by grief or consumed by miserabilism. Though Kline is the artist from the movement of Abstract Expressionism most associated with the use of calligraphy, Bernard Buffet, featured here on Artsper, also began to convey the personality of his interior by 1947 – after war had ended. The Parisian-born Buffet tried to save money and used very little paint on his canvases. Therefore there was little variety in color, and mostly grey, black and green tones are seen in his portraits. The grey faces, wrinkled foreheads, thinning hair and contracted hands took on a crucified, ghostly appearance. Whilst the likes of Bruno Mallart modernizes his version of ghostly calligraphies by merging it with digital techniques. 

Read more
Print, Torero, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print - 75 x 54 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.5 x 21.3 x 0 inch

$2,997

Painting, Décantation, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 77.5 x 36.7 x 1.5 cm Painting - 30.5 x 14.4 x 0.6 inch

$3,117

Print, Snow Blossoms, Swoon

Swoon

Print - 61 x 46 x 0.1 cm Print - 24 x 18.1 x 0 inch

$1,439

Sculpture, Sans titre, Bault

Bault

Sculpture - 38 x 29 x 4 cm Sculpture - 15 x 11.4 x 1.6 inch

$1,379

Sculpture, Sauvage, Grégoire Devin

Grégoire Devin

Sculpture - 48 x 45 x 20.3 cm Sculpture - 18.9 x 17.7 x 8 inch

$4,500

Fine Art Drawings, Tower, Geneviève Seillé

Geneviève Seillé

Fine Art Drawings - 89 x 84 cm Fine Art Drawings - 35 x 33.1 inch

$4,675

Print, Rock and roll, Mana Key

Mana Key

Print - 70.5 x 50 x 3 cm Print - 27.8 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

$1,079

Print, Cui-Cui, Bault

Bault

Print - 70 x 50 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 inch

$108

Fine Art Drawings, L'espoir en vert, Evelyne Postic

Evelyne Postic

Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$1,019

Painting, Sans titre, Charles Djerry

Charles Djerry

Painting - 173 x 90 x 1 cm Painting - 68.1 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch

$2,997

Print, Sans Titre, Shaka

Shaka

Print - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$396

Painting, Bar Italia, Mana Key

Mana Key

Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$456

Painting, Composition, Jacques Herold

Jacques Herold

Painting - 63 x 48 x 0.2 cm Painting - 24.8 x 18.9 x 0.1 inch

$1,678

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Charles Djerry

Charles Djerry

Fine Art Drawings - 62 x 51 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24.4 x 20.1 inch

$1,678

Fine Art Drawings, H-, Eugénie Lichet

H-

Eugénie Lichet

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

$96

Painting, Vacarme 3, Booster

Booster

Painting - 100 x 81 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch

$480

Fine Art Drawings, Guatemala, Lucas Ninin

Lucas Ninin

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 17 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 6.7 x 0.1 inch

$240

Fine Art Drawings, Monster Black 1, Bault

Bault

Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 13 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.1 x 5.1 x 0 inch

$264

Print, Toy killer, Sane2

Sane2

Print - 42 x 29 cm Print - 16.5 x 11.4 inch

$95

Print, La géante, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

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

$2,997

Print, Rita, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print - 66 x 51 x 0.1 cm Print - 26 x 20.1 x 0 inch

$1,678

Print, Lumina Street print, Faile

Faile

Print - 91 x 63.5 x 0.1 cm Print - 35.8 x 25 x 0 inch

$1,079

Print, Annabel, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print - 66 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 26 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$1,630

Print, Les Fleurs, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

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

$4,196 $3,776

Print, Zara, Swoon

Swoon

Print - 48 x 33 x 0.05 cm Print - 18.9 x 13 x 0 inch

$2,997

Print, Tournesol, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print - 32 x 24 x 0.02 cm Print - 12.6 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$4,196

Print, Carmen, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print - 76 x 55 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.9 x 21.7 x 0 inch

$4,627

Painting, Looking, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 25 x 20 x 3 cm Painting - 9.8 x 7.9 x 1.2 inch

$2,877

Print, Save Stilettos, Faile

Faile

Print - 99.1 x 69.9 cm Print - 39 x 27.5 inch

$2,450

Painting, Les Amants, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 154 x 142 x 3 cm Painting - 60.6 x 55.9 x 1.2 inch

$19,181

Print, Rising, Faile

Faile

Print - 101.6 x 81.3 cm Print - 40 x 32 inch

$1,672

Painting, Aquamarine, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 84 x 69 x 0.1 cm Painting - 33.1 x 27.2 x 0 inch

$9,111

Painting, Wonderer, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 97 x 76 x 3 cm Painting - 38.2 x 29.9 x 1.2 inch

$10,550

Painting, Le Mat, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 100 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$2,158

Painting, Le Soleil, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 100 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$2,158

Painting, Nefertiti, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 101 x 76 x 3 cm Painting - 39.8 x 29.9 x 1.2 inch

$8,991

Print, Le Torero, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

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

$5,395

Print, Annabel, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print - 76 x 54 x 0.1 cm Print - 29.9 x 21.3 x 0 inch

$3,477

Painting, Mr Brain, Fabien Verschaere

Fabien Verschaere

Painting - 92 x 65 x 3 cm Painting - 36.2 x 25.6 x 1.2 inch

$6,593