Born in France 1928-1999, Master French painter and printmaker Bernard Buffet attained recognition as an artist at a very young age. By 1948 he had had his first one-man show and received the Prix de la Critique. In the 1950s, he was considered the principal figurative artist in Paris.

           During this period, he was influenced by the miserabilisme movement: his compositions, all grays and dull whites, had a somber mood. Buffet's subjects have tremendous range, especially in later works, and include still-lifes, interior scenes, and views of such cities as New York, Paris, and London. He paints with an intensity of feeling, and therefore has the ability to evoke it. His line is harsh and arrow-like and his palette is dark in color with blacks and grays predominating, although he does, sometimes, use luminous colors. His rigorous gothic art is a reflection of his own personality: individualistic, elegant, sober, solitary, and melancholy. Architectural in construction, superbly drawn, and carefully composed, his work also has a gaunt and emaciated appearance that bears a strange resemblance to his own very tall, thin, and ascetic look.

          His work appears in many major museums throughout the world, including the Tate Gallery in London and the Musee d'Art Moderne in Paris.