Art Deco masterpieces by French artists went on display at Christie's Art Gallery in Paris on Monday.
At the end of the year they will travel to New York for auction, and are expected to fetch up to 15 million dollars.
The 210-piece 'Steven Greenberg collection' features designs from the 20th century and focuses on some of the most distinguished names in Art Deco.
[Sonja Ganne, "20th century and Design" Europe Department, Christie's]:
"It will be a very rare opportunity I think for people and for lovers of this period to really have a complete view of what Dunand, for example Jean Dunand's work was, because they will be able to admire vases, as well as screens, as pieces of furniture together with main pieces by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann and Jean Dupas. These three artists are in fact the main cause of the collection and the main directions and there were three main figures of that period called the Art Deco.”
The collection is named after art collector and connoisseur Steven Greenberg.
Greenberg was fascinated by Art Deco, and especially the work of Jean Dunand.
Dunand designed part of the trans-Atlantic ocean liner 'S S Normandie', symbolizing the strong artistic connection between Paris and New York.
[Sonja Ganne, "20th century and Design" Europe Department, Christie's]:
“I would say that between Jean Dupas, Jean Dunand and Ruhlmann, you have also three main artists that were very involved in this aesthetic that was called the 'Transatlantic', as the ocean liner aesthetic.”
One of the highlights of the collection is a radio cabinet made around 1930 and estimated to fetch up to 350,000 dollars.
The cabinet shows actress and singer Josephine Baker illustrated in art and blowing kisses to birds.
[Sonja Ganne, "20th century and Design" Europe Department, Christie's]:
"Here, you can see a play on microphones and the sound system of that time, illustrated in the Art Deco way. There are of course geometrical details of lines and constructions that one can see again in vases, or on certain screens, and here you can see in a very humorous way, the sound that comes out with the famous little birds that you could observe at that time in the music industry.”
The exhibition will travel to London and Los Angeles in October, before going on sale in New York in December.
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