Dauchez took great care to gather not only Dubuffet’s illustrated books - often printed on the finest papers - but also the ephemera that charted the artist’s career, from invitations and programs to letters and manuscripts. Dubuffet’s world became his own: he collected works by writers close to the artist, notably Francis Ponge and Henri Michaux, as well as an outstanding ensemble of publications on Art Brut. His second literary passion was Céline. Among his most prized possessions was the manuscript of Casse-pipe used for the original edition, along with all of Céline’s works in large-paper copies, including Voyage au bout de la nuit printed on Arches paper and inscribed to the critic who voted against him for the Prix Goncourt, and Mort à crédit on Japan paper, dedicated to the wife of one of his closest friends.

Highlights

Dauchez was fascinated by every facet of Dubuffet’s work: from the artist’s early years, when he exchanged impassioned letters with Salacrou that already hinted at his rejection of institutions, to the Hourloupe period and his mature works, including his earliest exhibitions. The bibliophile notary sought out Dubuffet’s rarest books, such as Matière et Mémoire and Labonfam abeber, always in the finest copies, often deluxe editions with additional suites (Anvouaiaje) or original drawings (Le flux même). In some cases, he managed to gather every version of a single book: two copies of Ler dla canpan - one of the 15 deluxe “stained” copies and a standard edition; two versions of L’Homme du commun, one on Japan paper with a suite, the other on Arches; three copies of La Métromanie, printed on yellow rag paper, signed mouse-gray paper, and wrapping paper respectively; or La Lunette farcie, with both the true first edition and the later PAB printing; and all three versions of the Mirobolus catalogue. Some copies come with exhibition flyers, "just published" notes, and promotional materials. Naturally, many of these books are inscribed by the artist to the collector. Several significant correspondences also document Dubuffet’s career: letters to his childhood friend Salacrou, to Jean Giono regarding Louis Soutter, warm letters to Alexandre Vialatte and Henri Michaux, and numerous letters to Dr. Jacqueline Porret-Forel about the foundations of Art Brut.

Jean Dubuffet in All His Forms

Beyond Dubuffet, Jacques Dauchez had a clear taste for artist-illustrated books by the leading figures of the 20th century. It is no surprise to find Asger Jorn who created the first Dubuffet catalogue raisonné in 1962 or Henri Michaux, who was close to Dubuffet, or Fautrier, Braque, and Hérold, who illustrated Francis Ponge, the first poet Dubuffet worked with (Matière et Mémoire, 1945). Alongside the great names of modern art, Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Giacometti, Chagall, the collection also highlights artists more contemporary to Dauchez: Alechinsky, Geneviève Asse, Joan Mitchell, Jean Degottex, Antonio Saura. More eloquent than words, the list of artists gives a sense of the collection’s extraordinary range: Alechinsky (lots 1–8), Geneviève Asse (lot 17), Brancusi (lot 124), Roger Bissière (lot 20), Braque (lot 22), Victor Brauner (lots 23–26), Marc Chagall (lot 27), Chillida (lot 50), Jean Degottex (lot 53), Robert Delaunay (lot 54), André Derain (lot 55), César Domela (lot 58), Max Ernst (lot 113), Jean Fautrier (lots 115–116), Giacometti (lots 51 &amp; 117), Natalia Goncharova (lots 118–119), Juan Gris (lot 120), Simon Hantaï (lot 121), Jacques Hérold (lot 122), Asger Jorn (lot 123), Wifredo Lam (lot 126), Man Ray (lot 130), André Masson (lot 131), Henri Matisse (lot 132), Roberto Matta (lot 133), Henri Michaux (lots 135–151), Joan Miró (lot 152), Joan Mitchell (lot 153), Pablo Picasso (lots 158–159), Niki de Saint Phalle (lot 173), Antonio Saura (lot 174), Antoni Tàpies (lot 176), Jean Tinguely (lot 177), Vieira da Silva (lots 179–180), Zao Wou-Ki (lot 182), and more.

Modern and Contemporary Illustrated Books

First Editions

A major highlight of the sale is an important Casse-pipe manuscript by Céline, offered alongside others dealing with his legal defense and thoughts on the Armistice. Several remarkable groups of letters enrich the collection: from Artaud to Adrienne Monnier, from Jean Tinguely to his New York gallerist, and from Gaston Chaissac to Jean Dubuffet. Jacques Dauchez gathered several important and extensive Dubuffet correspondences: letters to writers Henri Michaux, Jean Giono, Alexandre Vialatte, and Armand Salacrou; to collaborators Noël Arnaud and Richard Négrou; and to Maurice Saillet and Dr. Jacqueline Porret-Forel, especially regarding the artist Aloïse. A major dossier relates to Dubuffet’s 1957 exhibition at Galerie Rive Droite, featuring the artist’s original catalogue maquette with sketches of the works, and letters addressed to the gallerist Jean Larcade.

Letters & Manuscripts

Dating from 1959, a small painting by Dubuffet, Résille 13, is offered alongside a playful Hourloupe-style construction on a postcard sent to Raymond Queneau in 1970, and a charming 1983 drawing that Dubuffet sent to his notary friend to “soothe him” after an accident. An exhibition catalogue mock-up includes abstract ink washes representing works the artist intended to include. The collection also features a stoneware book-shaped sculpture by Alechinsky (1994), drawings by Henri Michaux, and a lovely watercolor by Vieira da Silva. Several books include original drawings by Alechinsky, Geneviève Asse, Michel Nedjar, or Antonio Saura.

Original Works and Drawings

Jean Dubuffet was not only a major artist; he also pioneered the theory of art brut (outsider art)—a form of “non-cultural” creation produced outside the academic art world, often by self-taught or mentally ill individuals. In 1948, Dubuffet, along with André Breton, Michel Tapié, Jean Paulhan and others, founded the Compagnie de l’Art Brut, dedicated to exhibiting and promoting this alternative form of expression. The Jacques Dauchez collection includes several rare early publications from the Compagnie de l’Art Brut, dedicated to figures such as Aloyse, Hernandez, Giraud, Juva, and Gironella. It also features letters and books by Gaston Chaissac, Slavsko Kopač, and Jean L’Anselm, as well as original works by Philippe Dereux and Michel Nedjar. Several correspondences in the collection concern Art Brut, including letters from Dubuffet to Jean Giono about Louis Soutter, and to Dr. Jacqueline Porret-Forel about Aloïse and the ongoing search for works to enrich the Art Brut Collection.

Art Brut – Outsider art

Paris

Director | Specialist

Benoit Puttemans

Vice President France | Senior Director

Anne Heilbronn

Patricia de Fougerolle

Sale Coordinator | Books

Fanny Gras

Meet our Specialists

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Jacques Dauchez descended from a long line of notaries, so became a notary by default. Thanks to its location, his family's law office counted numerous artists among its clients, including Henri Matisse, whose studio was on Quai de la Tournelle, and Jean Dubuffet, who was then a wine merchant at the Halle aux Vins, on the site of today’s Jussieu University. An art enthusiast, Jacques Dauchez naturally became a notary specializing in artistic creation, guided by his curiosity for the processes of artists and writers. This passion led him to become a bibliophile and collector.

Bibliothèque Jacques Dauchez Autour de Dubuffet