La casserole rouge 1951

Bernard Buffet made this painting, La casserole rouge, in 1951, and what strikes me most is the bold, almost graphic style, the way he reduces objects to their most essential forms. The colors, though muted, have a real punch, especially that red casserole! Looking closely, you can see the texture of the paint, thick in some areas, scraped back in others, like he's carving the image into the canvas. Notice the lines that define the objects and the tiles on the table, they are so decisive and unflinching, creating a kind of stage set. The white cloth under the casserole is particularly interesting: it's not just white, it's a riot of strokes and textures. It reminds me of the early work of Giorgio Morandi, in the way Buffet isolates his objects and imbues them with a quiet, contemplative presence. But where Morandi’s approach is subtle, Buffet’s has a raw, almost anxious energy. Ultimately, this painting is a reminder that there’s no single way to see or represent the world, and that art is always a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas and perspectives.