BERNARD BUFFET (Paris 1928-1999 Tourtour) Gare de Fontnay. 1982. Oil on canvas. Signed upper right: Bernard Buffet. Dated upper left: 1982. Entitled verso on the stretcher: Gare de Fontnay. 89 × 130 cm. Certificate: Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris, 13.1.1989. Provenance: - With Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris (stamp verso). - Private collection, Spain. After Buffet had worked intensively during the late 1970s and early 1980s on a group of striking still lifes, nudes and self-portraits, as well as his Japan series, he returned in this large-format painting to a blend of motifs with which he enjoyed working: architecture and technology. The protagonist of this work is the Fontenay-sous-Bois train station, an essential transport hub for connections to the eastern Île-de-France since 1977. But as usual with Buffet, the subject and locale serve only as inspiration for a wholly free and individual interpretation. The technical elements - the black power lines and poles as well as the railway tracks, with their strong black horizontals and verticals - act as a bold supporting cast that provides structure and power. The leading actor is the station building, which draws attention with its plain but striking appearance, due to the bright orange colour accents. * The full tax is charged on this item marked * in the auction catalogue, i.e. VAT is charged on the sum of the bid price plus the surcharge for those items. The VAT will be refunded to Purchasers providing a validly stamped export declaration. ------------------------------------------------- BERNARD BUFFET (Paris 1928-1999 Tourtour) Gare de Fontnay. 1982. Oil on canvas. Signed upper right: Bernard Buffet. Dated upper left: 1982. Titled on the reverse of the stretcher: Gare de Fontnay. 89 × 130 cm. Expertise: Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris, 13.1.1989. Provenance: - Galerie Maurice Garnier, Paris (verso with stamp). - Private collection Spain. Having worked intensively on a series of striking still lifes, nudes and self-portraits as well as his Japanese series in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Buffet returns to a combination of motifs he liked to work with in this large-format painting: architecture and technology. The protagonist of this work is the railway station of Fontenay-sous-Bois, an important transport hub for connections in eastern Île-de-France since 1977. However, as is usual with Buffet, the motif and location only serve as inspiration for a completely free and individual realisation. The technical elements, the black power lines and pylons as well as the railway tracks, with their bold black horizontals and verticals, function as supporting actors, providing structure and momentum. The main actor is the railway station building. Despite its simple appearance, it attracts attention due to its bright orange colour accents. This property marked with * (asterisk) is fully subject to VAT, i.e. VAT will be charged on the hammer price plus buyer's premium for these properties. Buyers who present a legally stamped export declaration will be reimbursed the VAT.