Jean Dubuffet

1901 (Le Havre) – 1985 (Paris)

Dubuffet’s work made him one of the twentieth century artworld’s more interesting unclassifiables. Limbour and Queneau were schoolfriends in Le Havre. Valadon, Dufy and Jacob were early friends in Paris, Léger and Gris further acquaintances. He regularly visited Masson’s studio, and made several recordings with Jorn, a fellow-artist given to experimenting with sound. Limbour introduced him to Paulhan, who in turn introduced him to Ponge and Éluard. Prévert and Artaud were also friends (despite Prévert’s choice of Brassaï for a cover). He met Tanguy in the U.S., and travelled to Switzerland with Paulhan in search of art by outsiders, art brut.