Buffet La Mort 8, 1999 [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The late French artist Bernard Buffet has impressed many with the iconic images of clowns, animals and leisure scenes in his paintings, which are considered either divine or annoying.

Sotheby's gallery in Hong Kong will stage an exhibition over Sept 14-24 celebrating Buffet's brutal and provocative style.

The show, Bernard Buffet: Infinite Jester, will exhibit works from the major period of his career.

When Buffet started to become commercially successful in the 1950s, he was also criticized for reproducing his most successful themes.

But now an interest in his art has re-emerged among collectors around the globe.