Painter, b. 1928 - d. 1999

Bernard Buffet was a French painter associated with Art Brut best known for his still lifes, landscapes, portraits, and paintings of clown performers. The staunchly anti-Abstract artist was often described as “Miserablist.” During his lifetime, he held solo exhibitions across the world in cities including Berlin, France, and Tokyo.

About Bernard Buffet

• Artist Name: Bernard Buffet


• Alias: V. Beffa


• Profession: Painter, lithographer, etcher


• Nationality: French

“Painting... we do not talk about it, we do not analyze it, we feel it.” 

Bernard Buffet

French painter, Bernard Buffet, gained fame for his sober artistic style and diverse subject matter, ranging from still lifes to portraits and landscapes. He was part of the French anti-Abstract group “L’Homme Témoin,” active during a period dominated by Abstraction in the art world. Despite this, in 1955, at not even thirty years old, he was recognized as the most important Post-War artist by the magazine Connaissance des Arts. Buffet received formal training at Paris’ prestigious École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts.

Throughout his career, Buffet exhibited his works across the globe, with solo shows at prestigious venues such as Berlin’s French Institute, Paris’ Postal Museum, and Tokyo’s Odakyu Museum. In 1978, he even designed a French stamp featuring the Institut de France and the Pont des Arts. His artistic approach was often described as Miserablist, combining modern aesthetics with graphic simplicity to portray a new postwar world through muted colors and rich linework.

From jagged, brightly-colored still lifes to dreary, elongated portraits, Buffet's goal was always to evoke and provoke emotions through his art. Despite experiencing a decline in popularity toward the end of the 20th century, Buffet's tragic suicide in 1999, following a battle with Parkinson’s disease, led to a renewed interest in his work and legacy.

Related Styles and Movements

• Lithography


• Etching


• Art Brut


• Still Life Painting


• Landscape Painting


• Anti-Abstract Art


• Miserablism

Highlights and Achievements

• In 1973, Buffet was awarded the title of Officer of the Légion d’Honneur, which ranks among France’s top artistic honors.


• In 1974, he was inducted into Paris’ Académie des Beaux-Arts.


• A museum in Shizuoka, Japan, is dedicated to his work.


• His 1961 painting Les clowns musiciens, le saxophoniste sold for $16,450,000 HKD (over $2M USD) in December 2021 via Christie’s.

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