Vache la belle allègre (The Beautiful and Sprightly Cow) 1954

Jean Dubuffet made “Vache la belle allègre” with oil paint, conjuring a cow through a lens of playful abstraction. The marks here feel primal, almost childlike, reminding us that art is as much about the journey as the destination. The surface has a tactile quality, built up with layers that invite you to reach out and touch. Flecks of color dance across the canvas, creating a lively rhythm that echoes the cow's sprightly nature. Notice the brown jigsaw-like pieces on the cow’s body. These shapes disrupt the composition, drawing our eye and maybe making us question what we are looking at. Dubuffet’s raw, unfiltered approach reminds me of Cy Twombly's scribbled elegance, both artists embracing the beauty of imperfection and chance. This painting isn't about capturing a cow's likeness, it’s about capturing its essence, a celebration of the messy, joyful process of seeing and making.