Jean Dubuffet spent his life challenging aesthetic conventions through a rejection of traditional beauty, opting instead for a raw, humanistic approach to image-making. Born in Le Havre in 1901, the French artist established himself as a central figure in the art brut movement, persistently eschewing the standards of the School of Paris throughout his multi-decade career.
Early Development and Commercial Interludes
Born into a bourgeois family of wholesale wine merchants, Dubuffet initially pursued painting in Paris at the Académie Julian in 1918. He soon abandoned formal training to study independently, exploring interests in poetry, music, and linguistics. Between his periods of artistic activity, he managed a wine business in Bercy, famously supplying the Wehrmacht during the German Occupation of France. He did not fully commit to his career as an artist until 1942.
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Influenced by a 1945 exhibition of Jean Fautrier’s work, Dubuffet transitioned away from traditional brushes and oil paints. He began creating heavy, tactile textures known as 'Hautes Pâtes,' or thick impastoes. By incorporating unconventional materials such as gravel, cement, glass, tar, and straw, he manipulated the surface of his canvases to feature physical slashes and scratches. This departure from conventional technique earned him both accusations of artistic anarchy and critical acclaim from voices like Clement Greenberg.
International Recognition and Later Contributions
Dubuffet found significant success in the United States, bolstered by his association with dealer Pierre Matisse and regular exhibitions in New York beginning in 1947. Beyond his status as a painter and sculptor, he was a member of the College of 'Pataphysics and the Royal Academy of Arts. His influence spanned multiple disciplines, including writing and architectural drafting. Notable works from his career include 'Le Bel costumé,' 'Tour aux figures,' 'Monument with Standing Beast,' and 'Jardin d'émail.' He died in 1985 in the 6th arrondissement of Paris and is buried in Tubersent.
Fast facts
- Born: 1901, Le Havre, France
- Died: 1985, 6th arrondissement of Paris
- Primary Movements: Art brut, Informalism
- Education: Académie Julian, École supérieure d'art et design Le Havre-Rouen
- Notable Works: Le Bel costumé, Tour aux figures, Monument with Standing Beast, Jardin d'émail
- Professional Memberships: Royal Academy of Arts, College of 'Pataphysics
- Burial Place: Tubersent
Questions readers ask
What is art brut?
A movement founded by Dubuffet that focuses on aesthetic approaches outside of traditional fine art standards, often referred to as 'low art'.
Did Dubuffet have a career outside of art?
Yes, he was a wholesale wine merchant in Paris and Bercy for several years before committing fully to his work as a painter and sculptor.
Achievements
- Notable work: Le Bel costumé
- Notable work: Tour aux figures
- Notable work: Monument with Standing Beast
- Notable work: Jardin d'émail
- Movement: outsider art and Informalism
