RELEASE | PARIS SALES OF PHOTOGRAPHY | Paris, 10 & 12 November 2016

CHRISTIE’S PARIS PRESENTS PHOTOGRAPHS SALES OF november 2016

 November 10 – Photographs, Including The collection of AndrÉ Derain

November 12 – Photographs ǀ Collection Claude Berri

Paris – When Paris becomes the capital for photography each November during the International Paris Photo fair, Christie’s fits its auction calendar to offer high-end photographs to collectors. This November, Christie’s Paris will present two important sales of photography. On the 10^th, the Autumn Photographs Parisian sale will feature 123 lots estimated at €2,2-3,2, spanning mid-19^th century works to contemporary images. The sale is highlighted by André Derain’s collection of photographs by Eugène Atget and a unique album by Amélie Guillot-Saguez. On the 12^th, Christie’s is pleased to present Claude Berri’s collection of 69 photographs, estimated at €1,2-1,8M.

November 10 – Photographs, Including The collection of André Derain

The auction covers photography from its early age to our contemporary days, with works from 1842 to 2010, bringing together some of the greatest photographers. Each artist’s works stands out either by its subject, icon, provenance or quality. From Girault de Prangey, Amélie Guillot-Saguez, Eugène Atget to Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Nick Brandt, the sale features a beautiful portfolio of photography’s history.

André Derain’s collection of photographs by Eugène Atget comes directly from Derain’s heirs and comes to the auction market for the first time. In total, the 53 works –including 47 by Atget– are estimated at approximately €800,000. The collection features Atget’s favourite subjects such as small traders, luxuriant gardens, shop windows, empty streets and old buildings’ facades; subjects that have made him famous. When Atget begun capturing these scenes, fame was however not the objective as he started as a salesperson, providing documents to Paris’ artists. It was notably the case of André Derain, even if they knew each other well. In some of Derain’s work, the inspiration from Atget’s photographs is obvious. Amongst the first collectors of works by Eugène Atget, were Maurice Utrillo, George Braque, Pablo Picasso, Man Ray and André Derain. With the poetry and mystery of Atget’s photographs, the Surrealists of the 1920 declared him as founder of modern photography.

Another highlight of the sale is a rare and previously album containing 37 photographs by Amélie Guillot-Saguez (1810-1864). The discovery of this album is major for photography’s history and confirms that Amélie Guillot-Saguez was one of, if not the first, French female photographer at the time. She was an artist who married Doctor Guillot, a physicist and chemist, and together they worked on improving the photographic process of the calotype. In 1847, the couple left France for Italy, where she started producing her first calotypes, in Rome and Naples. The 37 views gathered in this album are from this period (estimate: €200,000-300,000).

Alongside of these 19^th century masterpieces, a beautiful selection of early and mid-20^th century by the greatest names will be featured. It includes Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Brassaï. Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Diane Arbus, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Thomas Struth will also be represented.

Amongst the contemporary photographers, works by Nobuyoshi Araki, Philip Lorca di Corcia and Nick Brandt.

November 12 – Photographs ǀ Collection Claude Berri

In addition to the modern and contemporary art sale on October 22, Claude Berri’s passion for photography will be presented in a dedicated auction on Saturday 12 November. It includes 69 works estimated at approximately €1,2M, mainly focusing on the 1930s and contemporary photography.

Elodie Morel, Head of Paris Photography department, adds: “The works that Claude Berri has cautiously chosen constitute a coherent and selective collection. His interest in the beginning of photography to contemporary creations make this auction a great journey throughout photography’s history. We are very proud to present this auction, and hope that collectors will be as enthusiast as we are”.

The French director begun building his collection by acquiring works by Eugène Atget and André Brassaï of which the collection includes prints from his famous graffiti series. From the 1950s, Berri was very fond of Paul Strand of whom two photographs are featured in the sale (each estimated at €20,000-30,000).

The contemporary section will feature large formats by Luc Delahaye that were originally exhibited at the Maison Rouge in 2005. It will also include an important photograph by Jeff Wall in a lightbox (estimated at €300,000-500,000), large prints by Hiroshi Sugimoto that Claude Berri had included in an exhibition at his Renn Espace in 1995-1996 and 1999, next to works by Alexander Rodchenko such as Ball Bearing Plant, Moscow, 1932 (estimated at €50,000 – 70,000) and Raoul Ubac (estimated at €25,000-35,000). Most of the photos of the collection were exhibited in 2003 at the Archevêché and Cloître Saint-Trophisme during the Arles International Photography Festival.