Bernard Piffaretti

Estimate and odd: Bernard Piffaretti (born in 1955) 

A painter of memory and gesture  

Born in Saint-Étienne in 1955, Bernard Piffaretti has established himself as one of the major figures in contemporary French painting. A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Saint-Étienne, he moved to Paris in the late 1970s, at a time when painting was being widely challenged by the conceptual avant-garde. Rejecting the opposition between figuration and abstraction, between concept and expression, Piffaretti developed a unique protocol in 1986 that would become the hallmark of his entire body of work: the principle of duplication.  

The principle of duplication  

Each of Bernard Piffaretti's paintings is based on a founding gesture: a vertical line painted in the centre of the canvas, dividing the space into two equal parts. On the left-hand side, the artist executes a free composition, made up of shapes, gestures, colours or flat areas of colour; on the right-hand side, he reproduces the same image freehand, without any reference points or tracing. This never-perfect duplication brings into play memory, error, variation and time.  

This device transforms the painting into a reflection on itself: the work becomes both image and commentary, action and trace, original and repetition. Through this minimal and rigorous protocol, Piffaretti questions the role of the artist, the nature of the pictorial act and the viewer's perception. 

A language between rigour and freedom  

Piffaretti's paintings are both conceptual and sensual. The bright colours, rapid gestures, and geometric or organic patterns convey a freedom of movement that contrasts with the rigour of the method. Each canvas becomes an experiment in which the tension between intention and chance, between the memory of the gesture and its reactivation, is played out.  

The artist thus revisits the history of modern painting from Matisse to Warhol while asserting a radically contemporary practice, where repetition is not a constraint but a creative force. 

Recognition and exhibitions 

Since the 1990s, Bernard Piffaretti has exhibited in numerous international galleries and institutions, including the Frank Elbaz Gallery (Paris), Simon Lee (London, Hong Kong) and the Nosbaum Reding Gallery (Luxembourg). His works have been presented in museums such as the Centre Pompidou, the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris and the FRAC Auvergne. 

His paintings feature in several major public and private collections, and the artist is regularly cited as one of the most important French painters of his generation. 

Estimates and ratings 

Bernard Piffaretti's works stand out on the market due to their strong institutional recognition and relative rarity. His large-format paintings, which are particularly representative of the principle of duplication, attract keen interest at international auctions, notably in Paris, London and New York. 

Auctioning a work by Bernard Piffaretti 

Our specialists in the Post-war & Contemporary Art department assist collectors and enthusiasts with the sale, appraisal and valuation of works by Bernard Piffaretti. They travel throughout France and Europe in collaboration with our regional representative offices to provide valuations and appraisals of your works.  

Prior to an appointment, you can also submit your valuation request along with a description, photos and any available documents relating to your property using the online form, or directly by email to our expert.  

Aguttes' Post-war & Contemporary Art department organises several sales a year dedicated to major modern and contemporary artists: Soulages, Hartung, Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chun, and many others.   

Contact our expert today to obtain a free valuation of your Bernard Piffaretti artwork and benefit from personalised support right through to the auction.