For his admirers, Bernard
Buffet is the "pure genius". He was admitted in "Ecole
Nationale des Beaux-Arts" at the age of 15, then introduced
among collectors by the painter "Aujame" and rewarded "Prix
de la critique" (Critics Award) at 20 years old. Bernard
Buffet is recognised as a master in his art, and his
paintings are collected in the most famous museums around
the world.
The Surugadaira Museum (Japan) is
specially dedicated to his works and displays around 1,000
of his works.
Bernard Buffet represents a typical demonstration of the
divorce between the French and Contemporary Art. Popular
artist by excellence, Bernard Buffet loved by the public is
however detested by elitists whom hold against him his
prolixity : 8,000 paintings, water colors,drawings,
lithographs and engravings.
In 1947, Bernard Buffet's personality was revealed by his
first angular characters, which classified him as a "Miserabilist"
like
Francis GRUBER or
Georges ROUAULT (expressionist movement).
His meeting with
Emmanuel DAVID in 1948, was the real beginning of
his International career, leading to his first exhibition at
the "DROUANT-DAVID Gallery" in 1949.
Because paint was expensive, he saved money by using little
on his canvas.
So few material and very little colour,
only greys, black, "bistres" and greens. His
paintings are
strong and breathtakingly unforgettable.
Bernard Buffet's style can be recognised among others by a
network of "dry"
straight lines grey faces, wrinkled foreheads,
scarce straight hair, tensed hands. His characters seemed
crucified. This new artistic personality is
recognised : Bernard Buffet's style is born.
Bernard BUFFET has also been classed as a figurative
painter, opposed to abstracts, but also and certainly to
painters which practised "Social Realism".
A total of 53 Theme Exhibitions have
taken place since 1952 : "La
Passion du Christ" (1952), "Horreur
de la Guerre" (1954), "Jeanne
d'Arc" (1958), "Portraits
d'Annabel" (1961), "la
Chapelle de Château l'Arc" (1962), "Les
ecorches" (1965), "La
corrida" (1967) and "Les
Folles" (1971) and "L'enfer
de DANTE" (1977), "The
French Revolution" (1978), "Le
Japon" (1981) ... "Vingt
mille lieues sous les mers" (1990), "Souvenirs
d'Italie" (1991), "New
York" (1991), "Les
Clowns Musiciens" (1992), "Saint-Pétersbourg"
(1992), "L'Empire
ou les plaisirs de la guerre" (1993), "Promenade
Provencale" (1993), "Sept
peches capitaux" (1995) "Pekin"
(1996), "La
maison" (1998), "Mes
Singes" (1999).
The last Exhibition : "La
Mort" has been organised by the Maurice Garnier
Gallery in February 2,000.
Bernard BUFFET has exhibited throughout the World : London,
New-York, Chicago, Palm Beach, Montreal, Rome, Venice,
Milan, Amsterdam, Brussels, Bale, Geneva, Berlin, Tokyo.
" Abstract Painting is
limited and boring, while figurative is unlimited "
Exceptional engraver, Bernard Buffet chisels his own copper
plates, he is also recognised for his remarkable book's
illustrations with for instance "La
voix humaine" of Cocteau, and the decoration he
realised for Serge Lifar Ballets in Paris Opera-Garnier.
Bernard Buffet is also reputed for his lithographs.
In a poll realised in 1992 for the French magazine
"Beaux-Arts", French people declared preferring Bernard
Buffet to Vermeer or Andy Warhol.
He was elected to the
Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1974.
-Source:
museebernardbuffet.com
Bernard Buffet Books
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