Rating and value of works, drawings, paintings by Bernard Buffet

If you own a work by or based on the artist Bernard Buffet and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can help you. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market. Then, if you wish to sell your work of art, we will guide you towards the best possible means of obtaining the best possible price.

Artist's rating and value

Bernard Buffet's value on the art market is quite high. His most prized works are his colorful canvases of clowns and harlequins. The artist also produced many landscapes and views of cities such as Paris and New York, which are also quoted on the market. A work by Bernard Buffet can fetch millions of euros at auction, as demonstrated by his painting Les clowns musiciens, le saxophoniste, sold for €1,529,577 in 2021.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

Artist's style and technique

Bernard Buffet's works are characterized by the representation of angular shapes and objects with distorted perspectives, creating a bitter, sullen and introspective mood despite the use of rather bright colors, often primary colors.

With his unique technique and ability to create imposing compositions, Bernard Buffet is admired by some, but criticized by others for being austere and iterative. The elongated silhouettes and blank stares that fill the canvas divide the public.

The life of Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999) was a French artist who showed a keen interest in the visual arts from an early age. After studying drawing with Monsieur Darfeuille, Bernard Buffet entered the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris in 1943. He soon began exhibiting and attracting the attention of collectors, including the French state, which even bought one of his paintings.

Bernard Buffet signs an exclusive contract with gallery owner Emmanuel David. In 1955, aged just 28, he was named Painter of the Year by the renowned magazine Connaissance des Arts, dethroning Pablo Picasso. This distinction greatly contributed to his emergence and celebrity, positioning him as one of the most influential and recognized artists of his time. The following year, he exhibited in Venice and had his first retrospective, curated by Pierre Bergé.

Throughout his career, Bernard Buffet produced around 100 drawings a year until 1999, and created almost 8,000 canvases in all. His body of work is therefore very rich, combining several techniques.

His success is due to his ability to fuse traditional academic style with contemporary artistic trends. His work is seen as a legacy of 19th-century realism, and art critics have been particularly complimentary, giving him international acclaim. The Japanese in particular worship the "Bernard Buffet style".

In the 1960s, Bernard Buffet produced some sacred art, creating religious decorations and paintings donated to the Vatican Museum. Awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1971, Buffet was elected Académie Française in 1974. 

Buffet's imprint on his era

Bernard Buffet is one of the most famous painters of his time. The author of a considerable output, his works are exhibited in museums around the world, but it is private collectors who play the greatest role in preserving his work.  

His signature

Although there are variations, here is a first example of its signature:

Appraising your property

If you happen to own a work by or after Bernard Buffet, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal by filling in the form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the value of your work, as well as any relevant information about it. If you are planning to sell your work, our specialists will also be on hand to offer you alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends and specificities.