The style evoked by Bernard Buffet in his works is easily recognizable when you discover all his achievements. This famous expressionist painter uses very few colors in his paintings. He also tends to show rather special worlds, both gloomy and miserable. Of course, Bernard Buffet's clown paintings are no exception to these rules. But who are the clowns who have marked the works of this celebrity?
The yellow clown and the red clown
These are two kinds of lithographs made in 1967. Adopting the format 31x24 cm, these two characters present several similarities. The make-up of the clowns allows us to say a priori that the yellow clown Bernard and the red clown are part of the same circus troupe.
Red makeup covers the nose of both characters. It is the same for the ears. In addition, the artist represents a triangle on the chin and a discreet triangle on each side of the lips. However, a white blush covers most of the face and the eyes of the two clowns are accentuated by a grotesque drawing, especially around the eyebrows.
Finally, the green top hat of the yellow character looks deliberately large and the red clown buffet bernard wears a too small hat.
Clown head
This is a work by the painter Bernard Buffet representing a character quite different from the red and yellow clown. Apparently, the character is of a certain age because of the wrinkles that crisscross his forehead.
When you pay special attention to the play of color on the part of the eyes, you will discover that the artist is trying to evoke the character of Harlequin. On the mouth of the clown buffet bernard, an orange rectangle makeup has been carefully worn. On the chin, the author insisted on the green triangle. The wink made by the painter refers to cubism.
Other special characters
As in the majority of Bernard Buffet's works, his paintings show the world of the circus. They are also poignant and strong. It is easy to identify the clowns of this painter. It is enough to base oneself on the networks of dry and straight lines that essentially distinguish his works.
Buffet's clown paintings highlight some of his character traits: wrinkled foreheads, sparse or straight hair, faces, etc., that crucify his clowns.