Bernard Buffet

BERNARD BUFFET (Paris, 1928 – Tourtour, 1999).
“Le café-restaurant à Roger,” 1985
Lithograph on paper. Print no. 117/150.
Signed and numbered by hand.
Measurements: 58 x 76 cm.
“Le café-restaurant à Roger” by Bernard Buffet was created during the artist’s mature period, when his visual language was already fully established and he recognized everyday scenes as a territory for almost existential observation. Far from a pleasant or anecdotal depiction of urban space, Buffet transforms the café-restaurant into a scene of silent tension.
Bernard Buffet’s work has recently been reevaluated, particularly following the solo exhibition organized by the Centre Pompidou in 2017. In the postwar context, he developed his own distinctive style, independent of dominant trends, establishing himself as one of the most unique voices on the French art scene.
Trained in Paris and at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, he worked alongside artists such as Maurice Boitel and Louis Vuillermoz, and in Eugène Narbonne’s studio. His career took off rapidly after he joined the Homme-Témoin group, achieving early fame and notable success in the 1950s, by which time he was already considered one of France’s most prominent young painters.
Supported by art dealers such as Emmanuel David and Maurice Garnier, Buffet exhibited widely and exerted a strong influence, even giving rise to a school of followers. Throughout his career, he received major awards, including the Critics’ Prize (1948), the Puvis de Chavannes Prize (1950), and admission to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1974, in addition to being named an Officer of the Legion of Honor.
His work is part of prominent collections such as the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Museum of Modern Art, and his legacy has gained international recognition, with a museum in Japan dedicated exclusively to his work.