Les tombes Ming, Jingling et Yonling

Details

BERNARD BUFFET (1928-1999)
Les tombes Ming, Jingling et Yonling
signed 'Bernard Buffet' (upper right) and dated '1995' (upper left); inscribed 'Tombe des Empereurs Ming Pékin' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
51 ½ x 35 ¼ in. (131 x 89.5 cm.)
Painted in 1995

Provenance

Opera Gallery, Singapore.
Private collection, Singapore, by whom acquired from the above; sale, Christie's, London, 7 February 2014, lot 8.
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.

Special Notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Further Details

This work is recorded in the Maurice Garnier Archives.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Micol Flocchini Head of Day Sale

mflocchini@christies.com +44 (0) 20 7389 2262

Lot Essay

'It is hardly surprising that Bernard chose to paint ancient China, which has such a splendid presence in Beijing. How could he fail to be charmed by the serenity of the temples, the sensuality of the trees and plants, intertwined with the religious architecture, or the peaceful silence of the monks and visitors?

We walked from the White Cloud Temple to the Long Life Pavilion ... We burned incense at the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses ... We strolled from one stall to the next in the antiques district. Bernard felt complete happiness and this sequence of landscapes reveals that deep joy: I can see in it that indescribable well-being that takes hold of him as soon as he arrives in the Far East.

He didn't tell me as much, but I truly believe that it's these peaceful wanderings, filled with beauty and love of life, that he wanted to share with all those who love him.'

(Annabel Buffet, 'La Baume', November 1995, quoted in Bernard Buffet: Pékin, exh. cat., Paris, 1996.)

More from Impressionist and Modern Art Day and Works on Paper Sale

View All