Jean
Dubuffet

Les Grandes Artères (1961), achieved Dubuffet's current auction record when it sold at Christie's New York in November 2016. This large canvas, measuring almost 1.5 metres in width, exemplifies Dubuffet's celebrated Paris Circus series, which marked his return to vibrant colour after years of working in monochromatic palettes. Its title translates to “The Main Arteries,” referring to the bustling, colourful streets at the heart of Paris, while the organic shapes and colours of the piece seem to reference the tissues of a human body. People and vehicles circulate around the city like blood, life, and energy. The names of places and shops add to the sense of chaos and excitement, as does the rich texture of the impasto-covered surface. Its exceptional performance at auction underscores the market's appreciation for Dubuffet's most visually dynamic period.

Paris Polka (1961) secured this impressive result at Christie's London in May 2015. Another standout example from the Paris Circus series, this large-scale work, measuring almost 2 square metres, captures the rhythm and chaos of city life through vibrant patterns that resemble musical notes or dance steps, as suggested by its title. The work's bright palette, busy linework, and dynamic composition reflect Dubuffet's fascination with the vitality of urban environments. Created during a pivotal period in Dubuffet's career when his reputation was solidifying, particularly after his 1961 exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the painting exemplifies his mature style that had fully embraced the primitive aesthetic he championed through the Art Brut movement.

Être Et Paraître (1963), “To Be And To Seem,” achieved this significant result at Christie's London in March 2017. The philosophical title reflects Dubuffet's ongoing interest in the tensions between appearance and reality, a theme that permeated much of his work. The work features Dubuffet's characteristic jumble of abstract forms and figures that blend with their surroundings, creating a visual puzzle that offers glimpses of discernible faces and objects. The painting was created during Dubuffet's transition from the Paris Circus series to his Hourloupe cycle, and therefore shows elements of both in its complex interplay of patterns and forms. The piece had not been widely exhibited, moving between private collections in Paris, London, Basel, and Chicago before its sale in 2017.