This exquisite heliogravure after Bernard Buffet (1928–1999), titled Le Cardinal de Richelieu (Cardinal Richelieu), from the folio Bernard Buffet, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (Bernard Buffet, Painters of Today), originates from the 1966 edition published by Fernand Hazan, Editeur, Paris, rendered by Bussiere Arts Graphiques, Paris, and printed by l'Imprimerie Lecot, Paris, April 1966. The composition exemplifies Buffet’s austere figurative language, presenting the historic figure through sharp linear structure, compressed space, and restrained tonality emblematic of his mature graphic style.
Executed as a heliogravure on velin paper, this work measures 13.78 x 10.83 inches (35 x 27.5 cm). Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued. The edition reflects the refined production standards of Fernand Hazan, Editeur, Paris, and the technical expertise of Bussiere Arts Graphiques and l'Imprimerie Lecot.
Artwork Details:
Artist: After Bernard Buffet (1928–1999)
Title: Le Cardinal de Richelieu (Cardinal Richelieu), from Bernard Buffet, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (Bernard Buffet, Painters of Today), 1966
Medium: Heliogravure on velin paper
Dimensions: 13.78 x 10.83 inches (35 x 27.5 cm)
Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued
Date: 1966
Publisher: Fernand Hazan, Editeur, Paris
Printer: l'Imprimerie Lecot, Paris
Renderer: Bussiere Arts Graphiques, Paris
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the 1966 folio Bernard Buffet, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (Bernard Buffet, Painters of Today), published by Fernand Hazan, Editeur, Paris
Notes:
Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), The illustrations of this album, completed printing in April 1966, were made by Bussiere Arts Graphiques and pulled by the Lecot Printing. The text was drawn by the Imprimerie Darantiere and the embotage made by F.I.A.P., based on the models of Marcel Jacno.
About the Publication:
The Bernard Buffet album reflects the high standards of Parisian art publishing in the mid twentieth century, emphasizing clarity, tonal fidelity, and elegant design. The series played a significant role in shaping international awareness of postwar European modernism, and the Buffet album remains among the most sought after examples, valued for its documentation of one of the era’s most recognizable and debated artistic voices.
About the Artist:
Bernard Buffet (1928–1999) was a French painter and printmaker whose unmistakable linear style, technical precision, and emotional intensity made him one of the most influential and prolific artists of the 20th century. Born in Paris, Buffet entered the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts at fifteen and soon developed a visual language defined by taut black outlines, muted tones, and haunting stillness that reflected the existential climate of postwar Europe. Influenced by Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, Buffet forged a path that blended classical rigor with modern expression. Emerging in the late 1940s as a prodigy of French modernism, he rose to fame after his work L'Homme accoude was acquired by the Musee National d'Art Moderne, and by his early twenties, he was being heralded as a successor to Picasso. His stark depictions of Parisian streets, still lifes, religious scenes, clowns, and self portraits embodied the human struggle with isolation and resilience, capturing the postwar spirit with both intellect and empathy. Buffet’s disciplined draftsmanship, emotional gravity, and refusal to abandon figuration during the dominance of abstraction set him apart from his contemporaries and aligned him with the existentialism of Jean Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he achieved international acclaim, exhibiting across Europe, America, and Asia, and in 1955 won the Prix de la Critique. His prolific output, exceeding eight thousand works across painting, lithography, and illustration, secured his place as one of the defining artistic voices of his generation. His highest auction record was achieved by Le Cirque (1961), which sold for 13.6 million USD at Christie's Hong Kong on May 26, 2022.
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