Tête rousse 1967

Bernard Buffet made this painting, Tête rousse, in 1967 using oil on canvas. There's a real urgency in the way he attacks the canvas. It's like he's trying to get something out, a feeling or an idea, before it disappears. Look at how he's used color. The fiery orange hair against that sickly yellow background – it's not exactly harmonious, is it? It feels like he's pushing against something, maybe against beauty itself. And the texture! You can almost feel the bristles of the brush digging into the canvas. It’s thick and raw, not trying to hide anything. Those heavy black lines that define the features, especially around the eyes and mouth, they're almost brutal. Each mark feels deliberate, like a sculptor chiseling away at a block of stone. It reminds me a little of Francis Bacon, that same sense of unease. But with Bacon, it’s like the paint itself is screaming. Here, with Buffet, it's like the artist is whispering secrets you're not sure you want to hear. It leaves you with more questions than answers, and isn't that what art is all about?