A collection bringing together the greatest artists of Nouveau Réalisme and Supports-Surfaces.

The Marcel Lehmann Lefranc Collection

 Niki de Saint Phalle 

Marcel Lemahnn-Lefranc's collection includes a significant number of works by artists from the Supports/Surfaces movement, some of whom he knew personally. Letters written by Claude Viallat and Noël Dolla to the collector bear witness to their friendship. In one piece of correspondence, Viallat even suggested that Lehmann-Lefranc, who hosted him during his visit to Paris, come and choose the exact type of canvas for the work he had been commissioned to paint. His Paris apartment in the 6th arrondissement, decorated by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, was structured around two monumental works by Claude Viallat, 160/1986 and 161/1986. Other creations from this movement punctuated the interior: works by Pierre Buraglio, Noël Dolla, Bernard Pagès, Toni Grand, Daniel Dezeuze and Jean-Pierre Pincemin. "Dezeuze painted stretchers without canvas, I painted canvases without stretchers and Saytour the image of the stretcher on the canvas”. Claude Viallat, 1970. These words by Claude Viallat celebrate one of the ambitions of the Supports/Surfaces group, a founding movement of French contemporary art in the 1970s: to challenge the traditional surface and support of a painting - the canvas and its stretcher. Born at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier and the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, the Supports/Surfaces group spread throughout France in 1969, welcoming a wide range of artists; the Lemahnn-Lefranc collection is one of the few to bring together such a large number of major artists.

Supports / Surfaces

This cross-category sale appeals to new and young art lovers as well as established connoisseurs seeking new discoveries by renowned international or young emerging artists. Offering a diverse selection, it presents a unique opportunity to explore both established and evolving artistic perspectives. This session will notably show an important sculpture by Alicja Kwade alongside a print by Sugimoto, an iconic Signal&nbsp;by Takis, a large Olivier Debré, and a Zenderoudi from the 80’s.

Highlights from the Contemporary Discoveries Sale

Paris

Head of Contemporary Discoveries Sale | Associate Specialist

Armance Gay

Co Head of Department | Modern & Contemporary Art

Aurélie Vandevoorde

Thomas Bompard

SVP | Head of Private Sales, Continental Europe

Olivier Fau

Cataloguer | Contemporary Art Department

Damiane Pestre

Associate Cataloguer | Contemporary Art Department

Camille Poncet

Meet our Specialists

For assistance with bidding and registration, please contact: +33 (0) 1 53 05 53 48 
 
 <a class="Link" href="mailto:bids.paris@sothebys.com">bids.paris@sothebys.com</a>

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Sotheby's is delighted to announce its February edition of Contemporary Discoveries in Paris. The sale will also include the collection of Marcel Lehmann-Lefranc, a major actor of the French art scene in the 60s. From one of the first Tir paintings of Niki de Saint-Phalle to a remarkable sculpture by Germaine Richier and a group of historic works by César, this collection tells us the journey of a passionate collector.&nbsp; The sale will also bring together diverse artworks of various media, regions and eras ranging from post-war artists to the present days. This session will notably show an important sculpture by Alicja Kwade alongside a group of works on paper by Willem de Kooning and a large work by Julian Opie.

Contemporary Discoveries Including the Marcel Lehmann Lefranc Collection