Bernard Buffet (1928-1999)

Bernard Buffet was born in Paris in 1928 and spent his life working across France. A defining figure of postwar French Expressionism, Buffet became known for his unmistakable style—angular figures, heavy black outlines, and muted tones of grey, ochre, green, and blue. His paintings evoke the melancholy and austerity of postwar Europe, reflecting the existential tension of a generation rebuilding after devastation.

Buffet’s prolific career encompassed over 8,000 works, including paintings, drawings, lithographs, sculptures, and stage designs. His subjects ranged from Parisian street scenes, sad clowns, and religious imagery to still lifes and portraits marked by psychological depth and emotional restraint.

Trained at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Buffet rose to prominence at a young age. By 20, he had won the Prix de la Critique (1948) and exhibited at major Parisian salons, quickly gaining the attention of dealers Emmanuel David and Maurice Garnier, who helped establish his international reputation.

In 1973, the Bernard Buffet Museum was founded in Japan by collector Kiitchiro Okano, affirming his global influence. The following year, Buffet was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts and later received the Légion d’Honneur. In 1978, he designed a French postage stamp depicting l’Institut et le Pont des Arts, leading to a retrospective at the Post Museum in Paris.

In his final years, Buffet lived at the Domaine de la Baume in Tourtour, southern France. Suffering from Parkinson’s disease, which eventually prevented him from painting, he took his own life in 1999 at the age of 71 by placing a plastic bag over his head and taping it shut around his neck.

His legacy endures in major collections worldwide, including the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, the Centre Pompidou, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Tate, and the Vatican Museums.

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