Paperink

Calla lilies in a vase on a yellow background

1966

20th Century

Herbier suite

50 with 10 artist proofs

IV/X

The series was in Roman numerals of 150, our work likely one of 10 artist proofs. This was plate 9 of the suite

Print number and run

lower left below image

IV/X

Latin

WrittenPencil

Signature

center below image

Bernard Buffet

In Artist's HandPencil

Image

14-1/4 in

11-1/4 in

Sheet

17-1/4 in

12-3/4 in

Mystery Monday

Welcome back our newest installment of Mystery Monday! Today is the birthday of this iconic French artist. He was known for painting expressionistic flowers, bullfighters, and sad clowns during the mid-20th century. Do you know his name? The answer to today’s Mystery Monday is Bernard Buffet (1982-1999). Buffet, a painter, printmaker, and sculptor, experienced both immense popularity and blistering critique during his artistic career. His art has produced extreme reactions; he was called the heir to Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and also derided as tacky and passé. What do you think of his style? Buffet was born in 1928 and raised in Paris. He showed an early aptitude for art and attended the prestigious École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Following his graduation from the program, Buffet was immediately popular, capturing the Post-War zeitgeist of France with his bright palette, heavily lines, and modernist aesthetics. Yet there is often a sense of grimness or tension found in his works, something that could be attributed to the depravation and anxiety during his childhood under Nazi occupation. The frantic and dynamic movement of his brush appealed to art collectors around the globe, making him a household name by the time he was 25. During his lifetime, he produced around 9,000 works of art and at the age of 45 he was awarded the Légion d'Honneur, the highest honor in France. Sadly, Buffet suffered from Parkinson’s disease which coupled with his rapidly declining reputation amongst art critics led to bouts of depression and suicidal ideation. He ended his life in 1999 at the age of 71. In recent years, his work has received increasingly positive attention – interest in mid-century modernism has led to a resurgence and rehabilitation of artists who epitomized the era. A 2016 biography and retrospective exhibition helped introduce Buffet to new audiences. This print is known as a lithograph, literally “stone drawing.” Lithography was developed at the beginning of his 19th century in Europe. Unlike engraving and etching which required specialist training, lithographs could be created by painters drawing images with hydrophobic crayons directly onto prepared stones or metal plates. The process was much faster than traditional intaglio and relief printmaking. For a helpful explanation on the process, check out this page produced by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/collection-areas/drawings-and-prints/materials-and-techniques/printmaking/lithograph#:~:text=Lithography%20is%20a%20planographic%20printmaking,means%20of%20a%20chemical%20reaction). Arums is a recent find for the collection. Last month Purdue Galleries Director Erika Kvam was contacted by Professor Christine Schertz in the Department of Chemistry letting us know that they had a Bernard Buffet print in their department from an old art lending program and that it had to be removed from the wall because of renovations. After being transferred to Purdue Galleries collection space, it was removed from its frame, catalogued, condition reported, and is now resting in storage since the longer a work on paper is on display, the longer it should be put away to ensure that there is no damage from light. The general rule of thumb for a fine art collection is works on paper and other delicate objects such as textiles should only be on display for three to six months and then rest for up to three years depending on the material. While the Buffet rests, there are still dozens of paintings and prints hanging in public spaces around campus, so next time you are walking through Purdue’s halls or visiting offices look around and you might see some wonderful pieces for you to enjoy. Title: Arums Artist: Bernard Buffet (1928-1999), French Date: 1966 Medium: Ink on paper Technique: Lithography Accession number: PAI 284