Paris
Updated:
Save
Christie’s puts it up for auction today in Paris the Jacqueline Matisse Monnier Collection, an exceptional and historical group of works that chronicles the extraordinary life of one of the most important French artists of the 20th century, Henri Matisse. Composed of 78 lots and with a total estimated value of more than €23 million, the sale will feature works never before seen on the market, much of it created by friends of the Matisse family. The collection includes works by Henri Matisse, Jean Dubuffet, the Giacometti brothers, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne.
Born in 1931, Jacqueline Matisse Monnier, called Jackie by her friends, had art in her blood. She is the granddaughter of Henri Matisse, the great master of modern art, she has been drawing since she was a child.
She was the daughter of Pierre Matisse, one of the greatest gallery owners of the 20th century and was always surrounded by some of the most eminent artists of her time. Her mother, Alexina Teeny Matisse, became Teeny Duchamp after marrying Marcel Duchamp in 1954.
Living between Paris and New York, Jacqueline gradually developed her own artistic language and universe through her kite art. In these floating, poetic paintings, she used the sky as her canvas and explored the organic movements of the wind. Jacqueline was very sensitive to the artistic production of her circle of friends and cultivated the friendship of John Cage, Jean Tinguely y Robert Rauschenberg.
The Jacqueline Matisse Monnier Collection portrays a fascinating family history and embodies the intergenerational friendships the Matisses had with artists. “This extraordinary collection pays a vibrant tribute to Jacqueline Matisse Monnier and her family history,” says Cécile Verdier, President of Christie’s France. “We are delighted to have Christie’s by our side at this important time in our family history. With great emotion we remember our mother and present these works that have been in our lives since we were children and have been part of our family for three generations”, explains Robert Monnier, son of Jacqueline Matisse Monnier.
The most sought-after lot in the sale is ‘Petit buste d’homme’, by Alberto Giacometti (3-5 million euros). It is part of a group of eight works by the Giacometti brothers that have remained in the hands of the family to this day. This extremely rare bronze, from 1950, comes from the Pierre Matisse collection. The blue bathtub ‘Hippopotame I’, by Francois Xavier Lalanne -friend of Jacqueline Matisse Monnier-, is the first resin version of this iconic model (800,000-1.2 million euros) and was acquired directly from the artist.
Personal copy of Marcel Duchamp from the book ‘Marcel Duchamp. Propos et souvenirs’, from 1964, includes the famous ready-made ‘L.H.O.O.Q.’, which he dedicated to himself (600,000-800,000 euros). Likewise, a copy of the catalog of a Miró exhibition held in 1961 at the Pierre Matisse gallery is going on sale (70,000-100,000 euros). The artist gave it to Jacqueline, her goddaughter, and her husband, Bernard Monnier. It is illustrated with an original signed watercolor and reflects the strong bond between Miró and the family.
Other important pieces are ‘Finissez ce que j’ai commencé’, one of the first surrealist compositions by Yves Tanguy, from 1927, which was exhibited at the Guggenheim in 1982-83 (1.2-1.8 million euros); ‘L’Homme et l’Oiseau’, by Joan Miró, a gouache dated 1935 (1-1.5 million euros), and ‘IKB 183’, by Yves Klein (1-1.5 million euros), from 1959.
See them
comments