Bernard Buffet, *Circus, The One-Man Orchestra* (Le Cirque, l'homme orchestre) Mixed media on paper, laid on Isorel panel Size 64.8 × 49.5 cm (25.5 × 19.5 in.) 1966

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999)'s 1966 work, "The Circus, One Man Orchestra." Among Buffet's recurring "Circus" series, this is a striking piece featuring the "orchestra man," a street performer who plays multiple instruments alone. The figure, who performs as a one-man orchestra with a bass drum on his back, an accordion in his hands, and devices resembling bells and cymbals above his head, is depicted against a vivid yellow background. His emaciated body and melancholic expression reveal the loneliness and sadness of a street performer hidden beneath a dazzling spectacle, strongly expressing the existential sorrow that is a common theme among the "clowns" and "circus performers" Buffet continued to paint throughout his life. Created with mixed media on paper, this work, with its raw texture of pencil and paint, allows for a full appreciation of Buffet's exceptional drawing skills.