Bernard Buffet

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Galerie Maurice Garnier.

Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris
Sotheby's London, 6 February 2013, Lot 203
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner

The work is in good condition. The work is on its original canvas and the surface is intact. There is a pinhole through the canvas at each of the four extreme corners. There are areas of fine craquelure to the blue paint of the coffee kettle. There is mild accretion of dust to the painting surface. There is no evidence of restoration under ultraviolet light inspection. The work is framed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Bernard Buffet was a French painter whose career started between the 1940s and the 1950s. A figurative artist, he elaborated a very unique style of expression with strong, angular black outlines, stylised figures and flat colours. La Cafetiere Bleue is exemplary of a style he used throughout all his career. However, it is particularly remarkable for its bright colours and the striking red background. After studying at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris, Buffet obtained his first personal exhibition in 1947 thanks to the support of art critic Pierre Descargues. On that occasion, the Musée National d'Art Moderne of Paris bought the painting Nature morte au poulet for its collection. Buffet's works were immediately acclaimed and, from the early 1950s onwards, he contributed to the Parisian and international art scene with many thematic exhibitions. In 1971, the French State awarded Buffet the Legion d'Honneur and, in 1974, the painter was elected to the membership of Académie des Beaux-Arts.  Buffet is very well-known in Japan, since in 1973 a passionate collector founded the Musée Bernard Buffet in Shizuoka Prefecture, Nagaizumi-cho. It holds there a collection of over 2000 works by the artist.