ZHONG CHENG

  • Zhong Cheng 2024 Autumn Auction「Modern And Contemporary Art」
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    BERNARD BUFFET (1928-1999)

    Nature Morte au Melon

    1953

    Oil on Canvas
    50 x 65 cm

    Signed Bernard Buffet in English and dated 1953

    Estimate TWD 3,800,000-5,200,000
    USD 119,000-162,900
    HKD 0-0

    Hammer Price TWD 4,560,000
    USD 140,958
    HKD 1,101,449

1. With a certificate of authenticity from Maurice Garnier gallery, France 2. With a certificate of authenticity from gallery

Provenance：1. Galerie Drouant David\\\\\\\'s family, Paris, France 2. Private Collection, Asia

Illustrated：

Exhibition：

Exposition：

Bernard Buffet, a figure who bridged the worlds of art and fashion, was born in 1928 in Nazi-occupied France. His life was shaped by the bitterness and uncertainty of the post-war era, and his melancholic, proud, and aloof personality permeated his work. The world he painted reflected the existential mood of his time. In the years following World War II, abstract art dominated European culture as artists struggled to break free from the feeling of helplessness that marked the survival of the war. Yet, their efforts often felt overshadowed by a pervasive sense of disillusionment. It was within this context that Buffet’s art emerged, with its harsh, sharp, and cold lines capturing the existential angst of the era.

In 1948, Buffet founded a French anti-abstract art movement, rejecting the prevailing trends of the time. Ten years later, in 1958, he held a solo retrospective exhibition that attracted nearly 100,000 visitors—a testament to the early recognition and acclaim his work received. In 1973, he was awarded the prestigious French Legion of Honor, and the following year, he became a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts. His work is part of the collections of major museums worldwide, including the Tate Modern in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Paris Municipal Museum of Modern Art, and the Bernard Buffet Museum in Japan.

Buffet is often considered a leading figure of post-war "decadent" art, known for his use of sharp, straight lines that evoke a sense of desolation, helplessness, and scars. He expertly employed contrasts between black-and-white and subdued color palettes, often focusing on inanimate objects. His subjects ranged from still lifes on tables to city streets and riverbank scenes, all presented in stark, muted realism. Though his subjects were simple and unassuming, the cold, restrained atmosphere of his works transformed them into something far more profound. What might appear as straightforward depictions are subtly altered through the viewer’s perception, transcending the artist's original intentions. These pieces do not rely on words or cultural references; they communicate Buffet’s inner thoughts directly, imbuing each work with the essence of his creative vision.

In 1990, Buffet was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and its slow progression began to affect his ability to create. Tragically, this illness marked the decline of his vibrant life, and he passed away at the age of 71.

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