Conrad Buff Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Conrad Buff Art Value Price Guide

Nov. 12, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Snow-capped mountains
Est: $800 - $1,200
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Snow-capped mountains Oil on board Estate signed lower left: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff on the verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Nov. 12, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Blue Lake with Sunset"
Est: $1,500 - $2,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Blue Lake with Sunset" Oil on board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff on the verso; titled on a gallery label affixed verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Nov. 12, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Mountain with Stream (Mt. Morrison)"
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Mountain with Stream (Mt. Morrison)" Oil on board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff, verso; titled on a gallery label affixed verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Nov. 12, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Mountain and Mesa"
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Mountain and Mesa" Oil on board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff on the verso; titled on a gallery label affixed verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Sep. 10, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Black Canyon," circa 1932
Est: $400 - $600
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Black Canyon," circa 1932 Lithograph on paper Edition: 40/50 Signed, titled and numbered in pencil in the lower margin: Conrad Buff; also inscribed in pencil along the edge of the lower margin, possibly in another hand: Awarded 2nd Prize Int. Ex Lithography Chgo Art Inst - 1933
John Moran Auctioneers
Sep. 10, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "American Pioneers," circa 1935
Est: $500 - $700
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "American Pioneers," circa 1935 Lithograph on wove paper Edition: 24/31 Signed and numbered in pencil in the lower margin, directly below the image at right and left, respectively: Conrad Buff Lynton R. Kistler printer, Los Angeles, and with his monogram in pencil in the lower margin, at left.
John Moran Auctioneers
Jun. 27, 2024
CONRAD BUFF, AMERICAN, CALIFORNIA, WISCONSIN, SWITZERLAND 1886-1975, LANDSCAPE, Oil on board (backed by auxiliary board), 23 3/4 x 29 3/4 in. (60.3 x 75.6 cm.)
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
CONRAD BUFF AMERICAN, CALIFORNIA, WISCONSIN, SWITZERLAND, 1886-1975 LANDSCAPE Oil on board (backed by auxiliary board) Lower right signed: CONRAD / BUFF Note: Conrad Buff specialized in brilliantly colored, abstracted landscape paintings of California and the Southwest. Buff was born in Speicher, Switzerland, the son of a farmer. At age fourteen, he apprenticed with a baker, and later entered trade school to study lace design. After studying briefly in Munich, he emigrated to the United States in 1905, first working in Wisconsin as a sheepherder. In 1907, Buff found his way to Los Angeles where he took various jobs as a gardener, baker, cook, and house painter while also painting scenes in oil on canvas in his spare time. From his work as a house painter, he eventually established himself a contractor, but continued to teach himself to paint. Buff had his first one man show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1920 and he exhibited extensively around southern California over the next two decades. He was a member of the California Art Club and associated with important early West Coast landscape painters such as William Wendt, Guy Rose, and Jack Wilkinson Smith. However, Buff drew little artistic inspiration from these "California Impressionists." He had cultivated an angular, modernist style using strong color applied in a pointillist manner, but laid down in large color blocks more in line with post-impressionism. His landscapes emphasize geometric forms usually assembled in flat layers. His mountain landscapes, in particular, had an architectural feel. Buff also produced color and black-and-white lithographs, mostly of landscape subjects. In the 1920s Buff developed close friendships with the modernist architects Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra, and the artist, Maynard Dixon. Undoubtedly, he shared a much greater aesthetic affinity with these artists than with most of his California contemporaries. He accompanied Dixon on painting trips through the desert Southwest, and executed two mural commissions with Dixon in the late 1920s. In 1922, Buff married artist and museum curator, Mary Marsh. In 1936 they began collaborating on children's books which Mary wrote and Conrad illustrated. Nature and the environment, Native Americans, and Switzerland constituted the themes of most of the thirteen books they published together. Several were nominated for Newbery and Caldecott awards. As Buff's work matured, it became increasingly abstract. Where he had once emphasized basic shapes in the landscape, he later came to exaggerate them to create two-dimensional patterns, rendered in increasingly bright and simple colors. Although he retained his pointillist technique, the strokes became much broader and, often, unconnected. He loved the clear air of the desert and, through color, attempted to capture its effects on the red rocks of his favorite places such as Zion, Monument Valley, and the Colorado River. Source: Medicine Man Gallery (via: medicinemangallery.com/blogs/biographies/conrad-buff-1886-1975-biography)
Potomack Company
Jun. 25, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Vase with flowers
Est: $500 - $700
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Vase with flowers Acrylic on thin paperboard Unsigned
John Moran Auctioneers
Jun. 12, 2024
Conrad Buff (Swiss/American, 1886-1975), Desert Landscape, oil on canvas, 21 1/2 x 27 1/4in (54.5 x 69cm)
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Conrad Buff (Swiss/American, 1886-1975) Desert Landscape oil on canvas signed lower left CONRAD BUFF
Andrew Jones Auctions
Jun. 04, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Pools in the Desert," 1932
Est: $400 - $600
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Pools in the Desert," 1932 Lithograph on Umbria Italia paper Edition: 13/200 Signed in black pen in the lower margin, at right: Conrad Buff; titled, dated, numbered, and inscribed indistinctly in pencil in the lower margin, at left
John Moran Auctioneers
Jun. 04, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Chilly Morning"
Est: $400 - $600
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Chilly Morning" Lithograph on wove paper Edition: 36/200 Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil in the lower margin: Conrad Buff
John Moran Auctioneers
Jun. 04, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "American Pioneers," circa 1935
Est: $500 - $700
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "American Pioneers," circa 1935 Lithograph on Saxon Japan paper Edition: 12/31 Signed and numbered in pencil in the lower margin: Conrad Buff; Lynton Richards Kistler, Los Angeles, CA, prntr.; and with his device in pencil to the left of the title in the lower margin
John Moran Auctioneers
Jun. 04, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Westward"
Est: $800 - $1,200
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Westward" Oil screenprint in colors on board Signed in the lower edge, at center: C Buff; titled by repute
John Moran Auctioneers
May. 17, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) - Monumental Landscape
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) - Monumental Landscape. 23.25" x 31.25" framed, 16.125" x 24.25" unframed.
Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery & Auction
May. 07, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Self portrait
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Self portrait Oil on board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff, verso
John Moran Auctioneers
May. 07, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Desert landscape
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Desert landscape Oil on board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; with the artist's estate ink stamp signed by Mary Elizabeth Buff, verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Jan. 23, 2024
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Tujunga," Lithograph on paper, Image: 7.25" H x 15.875" W; Sight: 7.5" H x 15.875" W
Est: $800 - $1,200
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Tujunga" Lithograph on paper Edition: 2/50 Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil in the lower margin: Conrad Buff; titled on a gallery label affixed to the frame's backing paper
John Moran Auctioneers
Nov. 18, 2023
Paintings, Conrad Buff
Est: $500 - $700
(lot of 2) Conrad Buff (American/Swiss, 1886-1975), Untitled I and II, each oil on paper, each signed lower right, sight (for each): 4.5"h x 5"w, overall (with frame, for each): 14.5"h x 16.25"w
Clars Auctions
Nov. 18, 2023
Painting, Conrad Buff
Est: $400 - $600
Conrad Buff (American/Swiss, 1886-1975), Landscape, oil on paper, signed lower right, sight: 5.5"h x 8"w, overall (with frame): 15"h x 19.75"w
Clars Auctions
Nov. 14, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Butte landscape, Oil on board, 24" H x 36" W
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Butte landscape Oil on board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; with the artist's estate ink stamp signed by Mary Elizabeth Buff, verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Oct. 21, 2023
Conrad Buff Monument Valley
Est: $1,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (Swiss, American, 1886-1975) Monument Valley Oil on board Unsigned
Larsen Art Auction
Oct. 13, 2023
Painting, Conrad Buff
Est: $600 - $900
Conrad Buff (American/Swiss, 1886-1975), Landscape, oil on paper, signed lower right, sight: 5.5"h x 8"w, overall (with frame): 15"h x 19.75"w
Clars Auctions
Oct. 13, 2023
Paintings, Conrad Buff
Est: $700 - $1,000
(lot of 2) Conrad Buff (American/Swiss, 1886-1975), Untitled I and II, each oil on paper, each signed lower right, sight (for each): 4.5"h x 5"w, overall (with frame, for each): 14.5"h x 16.25"w
Clars Auctions
Sep. 14, 2023
Painting, Conrad Buff
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Conrad Buff (American, 1886-1975), "Modern Mountain With Sky," oil on board, signed lower right, gallery label (George Stern Fine Arts, Los Angeles, CA) verso, artist stamp verso, sight: 16"h x 28"w, overall (with frame): 24"h x 36"w
Clars Auctions
Aug. 02, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Desert Mountain 24 x 36 in. framed 25 3/4 x 37 3/4 in.
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Desert Mountain signed with estate stamp 'Conrad Buff' (lower right) and estate stamped (on the reverse) oil on board 24 x 36 in. framed 25 3/4 x 37 3/4 in.
Bonhams
Aug. 02, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Desert Landscape with Cactus 24 x 36 in. framed 26 x 37 1/4 in.
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Desert Landscape with Cactus signed with estate stamp 'Conrad Buff' (lower right) and estate stamped (on the reverse) oil on canvas 24 x 36 in. framed 26 x 37 1/4 in.
Bonhams
Aug. 02, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Owens Valley 24 x 35 in. framed 32 1/2 x 43 1/2 in.
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Owens Valley signed with estate stamp 'Conrad / Buff' (lower right) oil on board 24 x 35 in. framed 32 1/2 x 43 1/2 in.
Bonhams
Aug. 01, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Lake Mead, Oil on Masonite, 19.5" H x 25" W
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Lake Mead Oil on Masonite Signed lower left: Conrad Buff
John Moran Auctioneers
Aug. 01, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), "Mount Jacinto," Oil on artist board, 20" H x 30" W
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) "Mount Jacinto" Oil on artist board Signed lower right: Conrad Buff; titled on label affixed to the frame's backing board
John Moran Auctioneers
Jul. 23, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Pencil Signed Serigraph on Board, Navajo Girl with Sheep
Est: $100 - $200
Navajo Girl with Sheep, signed in pencil lower left "Conrad Buff". Approx. 24 x 30 in. Discoloration from previous mat. Abrasions upper left, upper right and lower right. Mounted to foamcore. Provenance: John Moran auction, 11-9-93, no. 995
Hughes Auctions
May. 28, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Oil on Board Southwestern Mesa Landscape
Est: $800 - $1,200
Signed lower right. Official estate signature on back. Approx. 6 1/2 x 9 3/4 in.
Hughes Auctions
May. 28, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Oil on Cardboard, Desert Landscape
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Desert Landscape, signed lower right "Conrad Buff". Approx. 10 x 18 in. Provenance: John Moran Auction, Feb. 16, 1993, no. 96
Hughes Auctions
May. 28, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Serigraph on Paper, Desertscape
Est: $200 - $300
Desertscape. Approx. 24 x 30 in. Provenance: John Moran Auctioneers, Inc.
Hughes Auctions
May. 28, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Pencil Signed Serigraph on Board, Navajo Girl with Sheep
Est: $200 - $300
Navajo Girl with Sheep, signed in pencil lower left "Conrad Buff". Approx. 24 x 30 in. Discoloration from previous mat. Abrasions upper left, upper right and lower right. Mounted to foamcore. Provenance: John Moran auction, 11-9-93, no. 995
Hughes Auctions
May. 09, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Snow-capped mountains in a lakeside landscape, Oil on artist board, 16" H x 24" W
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Snow-capped mountains in a lakeside landscape Oil on artist board Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff on the verso of the original thin board
John Moran Auctioneers
May. 09, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Desert butte, Oil on board laid to Masonite, 16" H x 24" W
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Desert butte Oil on thin board laid to Masonite Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff on the verso of the original thin board
John Moran Auctioneers
May. 09, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Canyonlands, Oil on artist board laid to wood panel, 16" H x 20" W
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Canyonlands Oil on artist board laid to wood panel Estate signed lower right: Conrad Buff; the estate ink stamp with signature by Mary Elizabeth Buff on the verso of the original thin board
John Moran Auctioneers
Apr. 30, 2023
CONRAD BUFF MONUMENT VALLEY OIL ON BOARD
Est: -
Conrad Buff (1886 - 1975) Monument Valley Oil on Board. Signed on lower right, and estate stamped on reverse. Conrad Buff specialized in brilliantly colored, abstracted landscape paintings, and by the age of forty, had an established reputation as an artist, primarily realistic paintings that expressed his love of the American Southwest. In 1906, he moved to Los Angeles, and from 1907, painted in Arizona. Maynard Dixon was a frequent sketching companion. Buff did a number of large scale murals for banks, schools, and libraries, and with well-known California artist, Edgar Payne, painted a 1000-foot mural for a Chicago hotel. Artist: Conrad Buff Title: Monument Valley Medium: Oil on Board Signature Type: Hand Signed Signature Location: Lower Right Site Measurement: 6 x 9 in. Keywords: Southwestern, Western Artwork, Art; Ref: BD1668
Bradford's
Apr. 22, 2023
Conrad Buff Monument Valley
Est: $1,000 - $3,000
Conrad Buff (Swiss, American, 1886-1975) Monument Valley Oil on board Signed CONRAD BUFF, lower right Official Estate Signature Stamp, verso.
Larsen Art Auction
Apr. 03, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Landscape with mountains, Oil on board, 9" H x 12" W
Est: $600 - $800
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Landscape with mountains Oil on board Signed lower right: Conrad Buff
John Moran Auctioneers
Apr. 03, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975), Mountain landscape, Oil on board, 12.5" H x 8.5" W
Est: $800 - $1,200
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Mountain landscape Oil on board Signed lower right: Conrad Buff
John Moran Auctioneers
Mar. 18, 2023
†Conrad Buff (California/Switzerland, 1886-1975), "Untitled (Mountain Landscape with Bare Birch Trees)," oil on panel, signed mid lef..
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
Conrad Buff (California/Switzerland, 1886-1975), "Untitled (Mountain Landscape with Bare Birch Trees)," oil on panel, signed mid left, presented in a chrome frame, H.- 31 3/4 in., W.- 48 in., Framed H.- 33 1/2 in., W.- 49 1/4 in. Provenance: Property deaccessioned from the private collection of Freeport-McMoRan Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana.
Crescent City Auction Gallery
Mar. 18, 2023
CONRAD BUFF (1886-1975) OIL ON ARTIST'S BOARD
Est: $600 - $900
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Abstracted Boulders Third quarter of the 20th century. The classic example of Conrad Buff's distinctive work, sculpted as much as painted, in bold, broad, singular strokes of color building abstracted rock formations with snow is signed lower right. Sight size measures 15.5 x 23.5 with a framed size of 19.5 x 27.5 inches. AN ABSENTEE BID PLACED IN ADVANCE COULD LOSE TO A LIVE BID OF EQUAL AMOUNT PLACED LATER. First bid precedence is not possible in auctions that incorporate live bidding via multiple online platforms, live bidders participating in the sale room and live telephone bidders. The only ways to avoid the possibility of losing the bid in this manner is to attend the live auction or bid absentee with plus-one option. Be aware that internet sales tax applies to all Internet transactions and local sales tax may apply to local pick-up transactions. We happily provide seamless in-house packing and shipping services on nearly everything we sell. Until further notice, we cannot offer international shipping in-house.
Dirk Soulis Auctions
Mar. 12, 2023
Conrad Buff (CA,WI,Swiss,1886-1975) oil painting
Est: $2,000 - $2,500
ARTIST: Conrad Buff (California, Wisconsin, Switzerland, 1886 - 1975) NAME: Mountain Landscape MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Minor scratches/paint losses. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 16 x 24 inches / 40 x 60 cm FRAME SIZE: 18 x 26 inches / 45 x 66 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle NOTE: has artist's estate stamp on verso SIMILAR ARTISTS: Paul Lauritz, Dana Bartlett, Samuel Hyde Harris, Edgar Alwin Payne, Alson Skinner Clark, James Swinnerton, Franz Arthur Bischoff, Paul Grimm, Armin Carl Hansen, Carl Borg, Maurice Braun, Anna Althea Hills, Jessie Hazel Arms Botke, Maynard Dixon, Arthur Hill Gilbert, Benjamin Chambers Brown CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 117634 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Buff was born in Speicher, Switzerland, the son of a farmer. At age fourteen, he apprenticed with a baker, and later entered trade school to study lace design. After studying briefly in Munich, he emigrated to the United States in 1905, first working in Wisconsin as a sheepherder. In 1907, Buff found his way to Los Angeles where he took various jobs as a gardener, baker, cook, and house painter while also painting scenes in oil on canvas in his spare time. From his work as a house painter, he eventually established himself a contractor, but continued to teach himself to paint. Buff had his first one man show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1920 and he exhibited extensively around southern California over the next two decades. He was a member of the California Art Club and associated with important early West Coast landscape painters such as William Wendt, Guy Rose, and Jack Wilkinson Smith. However, Buff drew little artistic inspiration from these "California Impressionists." He had cultivated an angular, modernist style using strong color applied in a pointillist manner, but laid down in large color blocks more in line with post-impressionism. His landscapes emphasize geometric forms usually assembled in flat layers. His mountain landscapes, in particular, had an architectural feel. Buff also produced color and black-and-white lithographs, mostly of landscape subjects. In the 1920s Buff developed close friendships with the modernist architects Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra, and the artist, Maynard Dixon. Undoubtedly, he shared a much greater aesthetic affinity with these artists than with most of his California contemporaries. He accompanied Dixon on painting trips through the desert Southwest, and executed two mural commissions with Dixon in the late 1920s. In 1922, Buff married artist and museum curator, Mary Marsh. In 1936 they began collaborating on children's books which Mary wrote and Conrad illustrated. Nature and the environment, Native Americans, and Switzerland constituted the themes of most of the thirteen books they published together. Several were nominated for Newbery and Caldecott awards. As Buff's work matured, it became increasingly abstract. Where he had once emphasized basic shapes in the landscape, he later came to exaggerate them to create two-dimensional patterns, rendered in increasingly bright and simple colors. Although he retained his pointillist technique, the strokes became much broader and, often, unconnected. He loved the clear air of the desert and, through color, attempted to capture its effects on the red rocks of his favorite places such as Zion, Monument Valley, and the Colorado River.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Feb. 07, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Deer Park 24 x 32 in. framed 30 x 38 in.
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Deer Park unsigned oil on paper board 24 x 32 in. framed 30 x 38 in.
Bonhams
Feb. 07, 2023
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Canyon, Plains, and Mountains sight 7 1/2 x 10 in. in. framed 16 x 18 in.
Est: $800 - $1,200
Conrad Buff (1886-1975) Canyon, Plains, and Mountains unsigned oil on board sight 7 1/2 x 10 in. in. framed 16 x 18 in.
Bonhams
Jan. 16, 2023
Print, Conrad Buff
Est: $50 - $100
Conrad Buff (American, 1886-1975), "Navajo Weaver," 1937, lithograph in colors, pencil signed and dated lower right, titled lower left, edition 10/25, overall (with frame): 17.25"h x 18.5"w
Clars Auctions
Dec. 18, 2022
Conrad Buff (CA,WI,Swiss,1886-1975) oil painting
Est: $2,100 - $2,700
ARTIST: Conrad Buff (California, Wisconsin, Switzerland, 1886 - 1975) NAME: Mountain Landscape MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Minor scratches/paint losses. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 16 x 24 inches / 40 x 60 cm FRAME SIZE: 18 x 26 inches / 45 x 66 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle NOTE: has artist's estate stamp on verso SIMILAR ARTISTS: Paul Lauritz, Dana Bartlett, Samuel Hyde Harris, Edgar Alwin Payne, Alson Skinner Clark, James Swinnerton, Franz Arthur Bischoff, Paul Grimm, Armin Carl Hansen, Carl Borg, Maurice Braun, Anna Althea Hills, Jessie Hazel Arms Botke, Maynard Dixon, Arthur Hill Gilbert, Benjamin Chambers Brown CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 117634 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Buff was born in Speicher, Switzerland, the son of a farmer. At age fourteen, he apprenticed with a baker, and later entered trade school to study lace design. After studying briefly in Munich, he emigrated to the United States in 1905, first working in Wisconsin as a sheepherder. In 1907, Buff found his way to Los Angeles where he took various jobs as a gardener, baker, cook, and house painter while also painting scenes in oil on canvas in his spare time. From his work as a house painter, he eventually established himself a contractor, but continued to teach himself to paint. Buff had his first one man show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1920 and he exhibited extensively around southern California over the next two decades. He was a member of the California Art Club and associated with important early West Coast landscape painters such as William Wendt, Guy Rose, and Jack Wilkinson Smith. However, Buff drew little artistic inspiration from these "California Impressionists." He had cultivated an angular, modernist style using strong color applied in a pointillist manner, but laid down in large color blocks more in line with post-impressionism. His landscapes emphasize geometric forms usually assembled in flat layers. His mountain landscapes, in particular, had an architectural feel. Buff also produced color and black-and-white lithographs, mostly of landscape subjects. In the 1920s Buff developed close friendships with the modernist architects Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra, and the artist, Maynard Dixon. Undoubtedly, he shared a much greater aesthetic affinity with these artists than with most of his California contemporaries. He accompanied Dixon on painting trips through the desert Southwest, and executed two mural commissions with Dixon in the late 1920s. In 1922, Buff married artist and museum curator, Mary Marsh. In 1936 they began collaborating on children's books which Mary wrote and Conrad illustrated. Nature and the environment, Native Americans, and Switzerland constituted the themes of most of the thirteen books they published together. Several were nominated for Newbery and Caldecott awards. As Buff's work matured, it became increasingly abstract. Where he had once emphasized basic shapes in the landscape, he later came to exaggerate them to create two-dimensional patterns, rendered in increasingly bright and simple colors. Although he retained his pointillist technique, the strokes became much broader and, often, unconnected. He loved the clear air of the desert and, through color, attempted to capture its effects on the red rocks of his favorite places such as Zion, Monument Valley, and the Colorado River.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC