'Orange Bikini' by Unknown
Hand-painted work executed in the stylistic manner of Bernard Buffet (1928-1999).
Based on the artist's similar work from the late 1950's.
22.5 x 19.2 Inches
57.15 x 48.76 Centimeters
Hand-painted acrylic on vintage cotton canvas.
Original Artwork (#1/1)
Bernard Buffet's "signature" in paint at center-right.
*Note: Very good original condition. Shows obvious signs of age at the borders, see photos.
ABOUT THE ART
This painting, 'Orange Bikini', is a hand-painted work created after Bernard Buffet, closely referencing his original Femme au bikini composition executed during the late 1950s, a period widely regarded as one of the most definitive phases of his career. Buffet’s original painting—commonly dated to circa 1958—features the same elongated female figure clad in a vivid orange bikini, standing within a stark, flattened landscape. That image has since become one of the artist’s most recognizable figurative motifs and was revisited through paintings, drawings, and prints during that era.
The composition seen here reflects Buffet’s unmistakable visual language: sharply angular anatomy, heavy black contour lines, and a deliberate reduction of form that heightens emotional tension. The figure’s exaggerated proportions and rigid stance evoke both elegance and alienation, while the restrained palette—dominated by ochre yellow, muted blues, and off-white flesh tones—anchors the composition in the existential mood that defined postwar European figuration.
Textural scoring, visible brushwork, and intentional abrasion across the surface echo the raw, graphic intensity of Buffet’s originals. The unrefined canvas edges and layered paint application further reinforce the aesthetic of austerity and psychological distance that characterized his work in the late 1950s, when themes of isolation, fragility, and modern disquiet were central to his practice.
ARTIST BIO
Bernard Buffet (1928–1999) was among the most prominent—and controversial—French painters of the postwar period. Rising to international fame in his early twenties, Buffet rejected abstraction in favor of a severe figurative style defined by elongated forms, somber palettes, and stark black outlines. His work stood in deliberate opposition to the optimism of Abstract Expressionism, instead embracing a visual language shaped by postwar anxiety and existential thought. Despite divided critical opinion, Buffet achieved extraordinary commercial success and produced an extensive body of work across painting, printmaking, and illustration.
Provenance & Attribution
It is important to note that this painting is not an original work by Bernard Buffet. Based on stylistic analysis, execution, and the absence of verifiable provenance or inclusion in the Bernard Buffet catalog raisonné, the work is understood to be a later hand-painted replica created after Buffet’s original Femme au bikini (circa 1958). Such works were commonly produced as decorative interpretations or study pieces, reflecting the lasting popularity and iconic status of Buffet’s imagery.
Collecting Perspective
As a hand-painted work executed after Bernard Buffet, this piece should be appreciated as a stylistic homage rather than a museum-grade original. It offers collectors an opportunity to engage with one of Buffet’s most recognizable compositions—capturing the visual power and emotional restraint of his late-1950s figurative period—while maintaining full transparency regarding authorship. Presented with proper context, Orange Bikini stands as a compelling decorative work and a respectful reflection of Bernard Buffet’s enduring influence on modern figurative art.