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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. 

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Painting, Looking, David Paul Kay

Looking

David Paul Kay

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

$2,847

Sculpture, Sauvage, Grégoire Devin

Sauvage

Grégoire Devin

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

$4,500

Sculpture, Sans titre, Bault

Sans titre

Bault

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

$1,364

Painting, Passion, Grégoire Devin

Passion

Grégoire Devin

Painting - 171.7 x 171.7 x 5.1 cm Painting - 67.6 x 67.6 x 2 inch

$17,400

Painting, Cavalier, Monkeybird

Cavalier

Monkeybird

Painting - 70 x 70 x 6 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 2.4 inch

$3,512

Print, Cui-Cui, Bault

Cui-Cui

Bault

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

$107

Print, Daruma, Samuel Favarica

Daruma

Samuel Favarica

Print - 90 x 90 x 1 cm Print - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch

$2,373

Print, Rock and roll, Mana Key

Rock and roll

Mana Key

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

$1,068

Print, Red Riding Hood, Swoon

Red Riding Hood

Swoon

Print - 48.26 x 43.18 x 0.1 cm Print - 19 x 17 x 0 inch

$1,424

Painting, Sans titre, Charles Djerry

Sans titre

Charles Djerry

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

$2,966

Fine Art Drawings, Madone, Evelyne Postic

Madone

Evelyne Postic

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.8 inch

$712

Painting, Le vent, Madame

Le vent

Madame

Painting - 53 x 53 x 18 cm Painting - 20.9 x 20.9 x 7.1 inch

$1,424

Fine Art Drawings, Vanité, Eugénie Lichet

Vanité

Eugénie Lichet

Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 59 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 23.2 x 0 inch

$771

Painting, Bestioles, Bault

Bestioles

Bault

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

$4,271

Fine Art Drawings, Cicada Mechanimal, Ardif

Cicada Mechanimal

Ardif

Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 20 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

$997

Sculpture, Poule, Madame

Poule

Madame

Sculpture - 25 x 25 x 0.5 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inch

$225

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Gérard Garouste

Sans titre

Gérard Garouste

Fine Art Drawings - 78 x 58 cm Fine Art Drawings - 30.7 x 22.8 inch

$16,609

Painting, Vacarme 3, Booster

Vacarme 3

Booster

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

$475

Fine Art Drawings, Mexico, Lucas Ninin

Mexico

Lucas Ninin

Fine Art Drawings - 17 x 28 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 6.7 x 11 x 0.1 inch

$237

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Charles Djerry

Sans titre

Charles Djerry

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

$1,661

Painting, I met Bowie, Mana Key

I met Bowie

Mana Key

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

$475

Painting, Love is the answer, Sane2

Love is the answer

Sane2

Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

$1,186

Print, Horse, PixelPancho

Horse

PixelPancho

Print - 53.3 x 83.8 cm Print - 21 x 33 inch

$1,100

Fine Art Drawings, Yellow Man Car, Bault

Yellow Man Car

Bault

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

$261

Print, Toy killer, Sane2

Toy killer

Sane2

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

$94

Painting, Le Mat, Artiste Ouvrier

Le Mat

Artiste Ouvrier

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

$2,135

Painting, Le Soleil, Artiste Ouvrier

Le Soleil

Artiste Ouvrier

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

$2,135

Painting, Vague, Artiste Ouvrier

Vague

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 30 x 30 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$237

Print, Toreador, Bernard Buffet

Toreador

Bernard Buffet

Print - 71 x 53 x 1 cm Print - 28 x 20.9 x 0.4 inch

$5,339

Print, Homard, Bernard Buffet

Homard

Bernard Buffet

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

$4,152

Print, Rita, Bernard Buffet

Rita

Bernard Buffet

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

$1,661

Painting, Aquamarine, David Paul Kay

Aquamarine

David Paul Kay

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

$9,016

Print, Fantasy, Faile

Fantasy

Faile

Print - 76 x 61 cm Print - 29.9 x 24 inch

$830

Print, Annabel, Bernard Buffet

Annabel

Bernard Buffet

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

$1,613

Print, Fantaisie, Faile

Fantaisie

Faile

Print - 76 x 61 cm Print - 29.9 x 24 inch

$593

Painting, Alpha, David Paul Kay

Alpha

David Paul Kay

Painting - 60 x 45 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 17.7 x 1.2 inch

$5,694

Painting, Lifespan, David Paul Kay

Lifespan

David Paul Kay

Painting - 91 x 127 x 0.1 cm Painting - 35.8 x 50 x 0 inch

$11,270

Painting, Geometric, David Paul Kay

Geometric

David Paul Kay

Painting - 170 x 250 x 0.1 cm Painting - 66.9 x 98.4 x 0 inch

$22,540

Painting, Time, David Paul Kay

Time

David Paul Kay

Painting - 86.3 x 86.3 x 3 cm Painting - 34 x 34 x 1.2 inch

$8,542

Painting, Wonderer, David Paul Kay

Wonderer

David Paul Kay

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

$10,440

Painting, Edward, Artiste Ouvrier

Edward

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 60 x 92 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 36.2 x 0.8 inch

$3,440