Bernard Buffet French, 1928-1999

Bernard Buffet was born July 10, 1928 in Paris, and died on October 4, 1999 in Tourtour (Var - France). 

In December 1943, he entered the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts where he studied for two years. In 1946, he had his first painting shown, a self-portrait, at the Salon des Moins de Trente Ans at the Galerie Beaux-Arts. He exhibited L'homme accoudé at the Salon des Independants of 1947 and in December of the same year had his first solo exhibition, at the Art Impressions book shop in Paris, organised by Guy Weelen and Michel Brient. Raymond Cogniat bought, for the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris a painting entitled Nature morte au poulet. 

In April 1948, the painting Le Buveur assis was exhibited at the « Jeune Peinture exhibition » organised at the Galerie Drouant-David. His painting was bought by Doctor Girardin, who, at his death, left it to the usée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.  At this time Emmanuel David asked him to sign an exclusive contract with his gallery. This contract was then, to be shared by Maurice Garnier.

In June of the same year, he was awarded the Critic's Prize at the Galerie Saint-Placide in Paris, in conjunction with Lorjou. In July there was an exhibition of his works at this same gallery. In November he exhibited: La ramandeuse de filet in the Salon d'Automne. This painting was also bought by Doctor Girardin and was also left to the Musée d’Art Moderne de la  upon Doctor Girardin's death. 

In 1949, Pierre Descargues published Bernard Buffet at the « Presses Litteraires de France ». 

In 1953, Louis Aragon wrote, in les Lettres Francaises, an article entitled Le Paysage Francais a quatre siecles et Bernard Buffet 24 ans (Four Centuries of French Landscape Painting and the 24 Years Old Bernard Buffet).

In 1955, he was awarded the first prize by the magazine Connaissance des arts, which named the 10 best post-war artists. He met Georges Simenon who became his close friend. He bought property in Domont, near Paris, that he left the following year to live at the « Chateau l'Arc » near Aix-en-Provence, which was to be his main residence until 1964. 

In 1958, at the age of 30, the first retrospective of his work was held at Galerie Charpentier. The same year Pierre Berge published Bernard Buffet at Editions Pierre Cailler, and Georges Hourdin published l'Enfer et le Ciel de Bernard Buffet at Cerf. 

December 12, 1958 Bernard Buffet married Annabel Schwob at Ramatuelle. 

In 1961 he painted a series of paintings depicting the life of Jesus Christ, intended to decorate the Chapelle de Chateau l'Arc. Ten years later, at the request of Monseigneur Pasquale Macci (secretary to Pope Paul VI) he offered these paintings to the Vatican Museum where they remain on permanent exhibition. 

From 1965 to 1971 he lived both in Britanny and Paris, and was named       « Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur » in May of 1971.

On November 23, 1973 the Bernard Buffet Museum was inaugurated, founded by Kiichiro Okano, in Surugadaira, Japan, which was extended and inaugurated in 1988. March 13, 1974 he was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1978, at the request of the Postal Administration, he designed a stamp depicting l'Institut et le Pont des Arts.