L13007

/

Lot 358
  • 358

Bernard Buffet

Estimate
120,000 - 180,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Bernard Buffet
  • PORT DE BEAULIEU
  • signed Bernard Buffet and dated 57 (upper right)
  • oil on canvas
  • 89 by 130cm., 35 by 51 1/8 in.

Provenance

Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris
Jean-Marc Vernes, Paris (acquired from the above; sale: Tajan, Paris, 10th December 1996, lot M)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Condition

The canvas is not lined and there do not appear to be any signs of retouching visible under UV light. There is some stable paint shrinkage to some of the black pigments. The work has a lovely rich impasto surface and there are a few associated tiny paint losses in places. Otherwise, this work is in overall very good condition. Colours: fairly accurate in the printed catalogue, though the colours are slightly more muted in the original.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Bernard Buffet began and ended his career in the South of France. In the early 1950s, having spent a few years establishing his reputation in Paris, he moved to Nanse, near Reillance in Aix-en-Provence. From here the stretch of coast known as the Côte d’Azur that lies between Nice and Monaco, with Beaulieu-sur-Mer nestled in the middle, is only a short journey away. The young Buffet, accompanied by his close friends Jean Giono and Pierre Bergé, would no doubt have greatly enjoyed the various delights this glamorous area has to offer. This view of Beaulieu appears to face east towards Monaco, with the peninsula of Cap Ferrat behind. 

Landscape was a genre that earned Buffet significant recognition in his early years; in 1953 Louis Aragon wrote an article entitled Le Paysage Français à Quatre Siècles et Bernard Buffet 24 ans (Four Centuries of French Landscape Painting and the 24 year old Bernard Buffet) in Les Lettres Françaises and an exhibition of his landscapes was held at the Galerie Drouant-David. In his mature years Buffet, when again living in the South of France near Tourtour, would return to this genre, travelling as far as St Peterburg and Beijing for inspiration.