Buffet was born in
Sustained by the picture-dealer Maurice Garnier, Buffet
produced religious pieces, landscapes, portraits and still-lifes.
In 1946, he had his first painting shown, a self-portrait, at the Salon des
Moins de Trente Ans at the Galerie Beaux-Arts. He had at least one major
exhibition every year. Buffet illustrated "Les Chants de Maldoror"
written by Comte de Lautréamont in 1952. In
1955, he was awarded the first prize by the magazine Connaissance des arts,
which named the 10 best post-war artists. In 1958, at the age of 30, the first
retrospective of his work was held at the Galerie Charpentier.
On 23 November 1973, the
Buffet died at his home in Tourtour, southern France, on 4 October 1999.