Jean Dubuffet

Born in Le Havre in 1901 to a wealthy wine merchant family, Jean Dubuffet initially pursued painting at the Académie Julian in Paris but quickly found academic training distasteful. He left after six months to explore interests ranging from free noise music to ancient languages, even starting a successful wine business. Despite two earlier attempts to establish himself as an artist, it wasn't until 1942, during the German Occupation of France, that Dubuffet fully dedicated h…