BERNARD BUFFET (PARIS, 1928 – TOURTOUR, 1999) Quimper, the square and the old houses 1975 Oil on canvas 89.5 x 130.2 cm Signed and dated top left, titled, dated and marked ‘AH64’ on the reverse Provenance Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris; Galerie Martal Ltée., Montreal Acquired from the above by the current private collection, Ontario, 1992 Certificate Work listed in the archives of the Galerie Maurice Garnier In this oil on canvas painted in 1975, Bernard Buffet pays tribute to Breton architecture through a composition of great clarity. *Quimper, the square and the old houses* depicts a cluster of half-timbered façades, typical of the town, bathed in soft, clear light. The artist structures his landscape with his characteristic linear precision, yet without ever sacrificing the poetry of the scene. The brown roofs, the ivory walls accented with green, and the slightly overcast sky combine to create a luminous, almost silent harmony. Every detail — the rows of windows, the angular gables, the play of shadows on the ground — helps to create a calm and timeless atmosphere. Through this work, Buffet captures the soul of an ancient city, balancing architectural rigour with pictorial sensitivity. The ever-present light softens the solidity of the lines and lends the scene a profound serenity.