Jean Dubuffet
1901-1985 · French · Art Brut, Art Informel
Biography
Jean Dubuffet, born in Le Havre in 1901, turned to painting full time only in his forties and became one of the most influential French artists after the Second World War. He coined the term Art Brut for art made outside official culture and built a collection of it, now in Lausanne. His own work moved from thick, textured matter paintings to the colourful Paris Circus street scenes of the early 1960s and the red, white, blue and black cells of the Hourloupe cycle. For the market he is among the deepest and most liquid postwar names: dozens of works sell each season, with Paris Circus canvases at the top and a record of about 24.8 million dollars set in 2015.
Recent auction results
| Enfin chez soi (1957)Sotheby's, New York | $1.41M | May 15, 2026 | heni.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| J'opterai pour l'erreur (I will choose the mistake) (1963)Christie's, London | $3.82M | Mar 5, 2026 | heni.com |
| Passe l'heure (1980)Sotheby's, New York | $953K | Nov 19, 2025 | heni.com |
| Marche en campagne (1974)Christie's, Paris | $760K | Apr 9, 2025 | heni.com |
| Visiteur au chapeau bleu (1955)Sotheby's, Paris | $7.47M | Oct 18, 2024 | heni.com |
Market
- Liquidity: High
Museums
- Centre Pompidou, Paris
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
News
- Oct 21, 2026: $10 million Richter and Baselitz works lead Art Basel Paris 2026 opening sales. Artsy
Sources
- Mr-Expert, Jean Dubuffet price
- Paul Fraser Collectibles, Paris Polka estimate
- HENI News, Sotheby's Modernités Paris 2024
- HENI News, J'opterai pour l'erreur
- HENI News, Enfin chez soi
- HENI News, Passe l'heure
- HENI News, Marche en campagne
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