Do you know Bernard Buffet’s sad clowns?

Easily recognisable by his unique style, Bernard Buffet's pictorial style often reveals recurring themes. The sad clowns represent a large part of the expressionist artist's work. They constitute a real paradox. Most of the characters drawn have a melancholic line. Discover some of the artist's works.

Portraits of clowns

Evoking a Berber buffet clown, the artist's paintings are a paradox. Each character is sad. Yet the clown is usually associated with a joyful and entertaining world. However, it is very rare to see representations of the painter smiling. When looking at the clowns, Bernard Buffet's favourite themes, the admirers feel both melancholic and shy. Most of the artist's representations are self-portraits. They wear different hairstyles and disguises. Some of the artist's pictures show several people in one scene. In addition to the lack of joy, melancholy can be seen in the features of the pictures. This is even marked by accentuated wrinkles, which show that the clown is old.

Clown's head, a famous work by Buffet

Among Bernard Buffet's sad clowns is Clown's Head. It is a painting measuring 65 x 50 cm. This work from the first series is reminiscent of clowns. It has helped to maximise the artist's reputation. Through this work, the artist gained popularity in many countries of the world. The sad eyes of the character are irresistible. The silhouette of the figure makes up one third of the painting. The rest is a void represented by a blue wall. A close study of the work reveals that it refers to the figure of Harlequin. This is further supported by the black and white costume of the performance.

Clowns make up the majority of his works

The theme of clowns is very frequent in the painter's works. In the category of similar paintings, we note the Clown with a Boater. The sculptor also created a duo of clowns on stage. When analysing this work, enthusiasts will see 4 figures, including a dancer and 3 musicians. The latter are a series of paintings. They draw several characters with melancholic looks and faces. You should know that this expressionist painter was very prolific. Many of his works were exhibited in various countries around the world. The artist's works depicted people, animals, landscapes, interiors, still lives, etc.
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