Bernard Buffet Quotes about Art

Bernard Buffet was a popular 20th century figurative painter and draftsman. He’s known for his bold and expressive still lifes, nudes, portraits and cityscapes. He was a prolific artist who produced paintings, drawings and prints. Famous Bernard Buffet paintings include “Tete de Clown”, “Le sommeil d’après Courbet”, “Paravent aux nus”, “Nus : couple”, “Les sept péchés capitaux : La Luxure” and “La Baume : l’entree”.

Mini biography: Born Bernard Buffet on the 10th of July, 1928 in Paris, France. He married the model Annabel Schwob and they adopted three children: Virginie, Danielle and Nicolas. Bernard Buffet died on the 4th of October, 1999 in Tourtour, France. Buffet was 71 years old when he passed away. The artist had Parkinson’s disease and committed suicide.

Bernard Buffet Art Quotes

Painting, we do not talk about it, we do not analyse it, we feel it. Bernard Buffet

When you are in front of a white canvas you can be the richest man or the poorest, it’s exactly the same. Bernard Buffet

I work all day so I like to see the countryside through the window. Bernard Buffet

I work, let’s say.. from 2:00 PM until very late at night. 2:00 AM approximately. Bernard Buffet

I believe in working hard. Painting is serious. A vice, not a play thing. Bernard Buffet

For me, the notion of realism corresponds to the recognition of objects, of nature. Realist painting for me is concreteness.. realism consists in the representation of things. Bernard Buffet

I want to work so I cannot spend all my time in bars and spend the next morning with a hangover. If I want to work it’s not possible. Bernard Buffet

Art Quotes About Bernard Buffet

What a shock – we were ravaged and charmed at once on that first contact with Bernard Buffet’s universe! Desolate objects.. bathed in an atmosphere of anguish, as angular and elongated as the painter with his stick-insect body, with a triangular mask, bristly hair, perched on a spindly stool or lying on a camp bed, with a skinned rabbit or two dried fish for company. The distress in these monochromatic compositions, the emptiness which translates all that the heart lacks, the elongation of verticals and horizontals, the nervousness of evil lines of force, lightly scratching the thin paint, all proclaim a painter fit to resume like Kafka, Kierkegaard, Sartre, the insecurity and deprivations of his childhood. John Brack Quotes

Bernard Buffet Self-Portrait Painting

More on French Artist Bernard Buffet

How has Bernard Buffet influenced your art making? I think he made a lot of ordinary paintings but he also made a lot of great paintings. I think that way about most of the painters I admire though as they’re pushing themselves into new territory and mistakes naturally come with exploration. Let us know what you think about Buffet in the comments below.

For more on the famous French artist here’s three excellent Bernard Buffet books: “Bernard Buffet: The Invention of the Modern Mega Artist“, “Bernard Buffet: Rétrospective Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris“, and “Bernard Buffet: The Secret Studio“.

Related or similar popular artists include: John Brack, Jean Dubuffet, Alberto Giacometti, Gustave Courbet, and other Famous French Painters.