Pulsions. Jean Dubuffet, the late years (1974-1985)

Exhibition from April 16 to October 24, 2026
Fondation Dubuffet, Paris 6th arrondissement

From April 16 to October 24, 2026, the Fondation Dubuffet presents the exhibition “Pulsions. Jean Dubuffet, the late years (1974–1985)”, bringing together more than 150 works. In 1974, having decided to bring the long L’Hourloupe cycle to a close, Jean Dubuffet, then in his seventies, embarked on a new chapter in his creative practice. Over ten years of intense production, he explored new artistic directions, moving freely between figuration and abstraction. Between 1974 and 1985, he produced more than 1,500 paintings and 1,000 drawings, organized into some twenty series. This late period bears witness to the freedom of gesture and the constant boldness that defined Jean Dubuffet’s work throughout his life.

Jean Dubuffet, Bon courage, 1982, acrylic on canvas-backed paper, 100 x 134 cm, Fondation Dubuffet, Paris © ADAGP, Paris / Fondation Dubuffet, Paris
Through more than 70 works on paper, over 60 paintings, and a selection of lithographs, screen prints, and illustrated books, the exhibition sheds light on the strategies developed by Jean Dubuffet to renew his artistic language and produce a body of work in perpetual transformation. It also highlights the richness of the Fondation Dubuffet’s collection, built through annual donations from the artist beginning in 1976. All works on display come from the Foundation’s own collections, with the exception of the last painting Jean Dubuffet completed on December 1, 1984, “Pulsions”.

Jean Dubuffet, Paysage cursif, 1974, colored pencils and felt-tip pen on paper, 32.5 × 25 cm, Fondation Dubuffet, Paris © ADAGP, Paris / Fondation Dubuffet, Paris / Jean Dubuffet, Animaux et pâture, 1975, India ink on paper, 25 × 22 cm, Fondation Dubuffet, Paris © ADAGP, Paris / Fondation Dubuffet, Paris
Structured in four sections, the exhibition evokes the artist’s presence through photographic portraits that show how, even as the body aged and weakened, the painter remained intensely active. The first section emphasizes the prolific nature of his work. The second offers an overview of the painting series he undertook over the course of ten years. The third focuses on his drawings, a practice closely tied to his physical condition. Executed swiftly at his table using the most elementary tools, they attest to his enduring appetite for exploring new mediums. The fourth and final section showcases the assemblage methods Dubuffet developed to create large- format works. Lastly, while the artist spent his days during this final decade painting and drawing, the period was equally rich in writings — among them his most celebrated texts: his discursive questionnaire À Bâtons rompus and his rapid-fire autobiography Biographie au pas de course.

The exhibition is punctuated by audiovisual testimonies from art historians and curators: Fabrice Hergott, Alfred Pacquement, Jean-Louis Prat, Anne Théry, and Thomas Schlesser.

Jean Dubuffet, Souliers jaunes, 1982, acrylic on canvas-mounted paper, 67 × 100 cm, Fondation Dubuffet, Paris © ADAGP, Paris / Fondation Dubuffet, Paris
About the Fondation Dubuffet

The Fondation Dubuffet is undoubtedly one of the rare and earliest institutions in France to have been founded by the artist himself. Jean Dubuffet established his own foundation to ensure the preservation and integrity of his work, as well as to keep a significant body of it together and accessible to the public. The statutes of the Fondation Dubuffet were signed on August 9, 1973, and it was officially recognized as a public utility institution by decree of the Council of State on November 22, 1974. Jean Dubuffet himself served as its president until his death in May 1985. Appointed by the artist’s will as the holder of his moral rights, the Fondation Dubuffet ensures the protection of Jean Dubuffet’s name, reputation, and body of work. The Foundation also holds the economic rights, through a bequest from the artist’s daughter, Isalmina Dubuffet, who passed away in 2003. The Fondation Dubuffet operates on two sites: one in Périgny-sur-Yerres in the Val-de-Marne department, and the other in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

Jean Dubuffet in his studio, Paris, 1978 © Archives Fondation Dubuffet, Paris / Photo : Kurt Wyss

Practical information

“Pulsions. Jean Dubuffet, the late years (1974–1985)”
April 16 – October 24, 2026
Curated by Déborah Lehot-Couette

Fondation Dubuffet
137 rue de Sèvres
75006 Paris