Artistic déjà vu – Sotheby’s Pierre Bergé ‘From one home to another’ auction exhibition, Paris

Dear readers, anyone of you have experienced a déjà vu moment? Especially when you were fascinated by an objet d’Art in an antiquaire, or a painting that recalls you some impressive museum that you have visited last summer. Yes, thankfully we human being has certain sensibility to feel things, even something or someone that we have never interact with before, but having a feeling, an intensified bond or intimacy in between that object and us. To me, one of this moment, literally happened when I was visiting this year’s Sotheby’s AW18 auction exhibition, which, in one of the exhibiting booth, I was completely mesmerized by the painting, then later I realized, it was the ‘Autoportrait sur fond noir’ by a talented and acclaimed French artist, Bernard Buffet, and just like that, I came to find out more about this edition of Pierre Berge ‘From one home to another’ auction world tour exhibition, organised by Sotheby’s in association with Pierre Bergé & Associés.

When it comes the great name of Pierre Bergé, I guess it needs no explanation to everyone, his passion in fine art collecting, and savvy in expanding haute couture fashion house has been one of the greatest strength of this Frenchman, and on top of that, when looking around to each of the art piece that exhibited, there is another layer of life story that starts to unveil, which on one hand it’s mysterious and intriguing, and on the other, it’s touching and possibly one of the greatest love story (in real life not fairytale) at the same time, that is, the profound bond in between Mr. Bergé and the reputed French artist Bernard Buffet, the moving story about their time spending together, the gesture and the appreciation upon the artist and his work, by collecting his pieces as a private collection, which shows the kind of unspeakable support and love that is very admirable.

Looking at Mr. Buffet’s work, its dark and melancholy style somehow expresses certain despair and helplessness during the post war period, the uncertainty and the coldness, the stillness and isolation, which to me, the painting has a very intense attraction to draw the awareness of the viewer, not only from their eyes but their mind as well, to explore the reason behind the work through the pale and despair looking facial expression, the monochromatic empty studio which depicted by the artist that looks a bit mysterious and haunting, or the famous scene at the butcher’s which shows the hanging cow, such artwork somehow caught the eye of the late Mr. Bergé’s, and with his visionary and tasteful perspective, to see the beauty of these distinctive artwork in a new dimension beyond the mass and ordinary; even the work of Buffet’s has sometimes been associated with the style of master painter such as Rembrandt and Chaïm Soutine, yet, his work is a combination of bringing the formality of the old world fine art, and reinterpreted with an innovative technique and audacity of his time.

Of course, among the mesmerizing and valuable paintings, this auction exhibition also showcased a wide range of precious and rare pieces, from home décor to accessories, from chandelier to vanities, I guess even without a chance to being in the great mansion of this respected late entrepreneur, after walked through this exhibition, one’s will be able to feel the artistry and taste of this influential Frenchman, at the same time, to reminiscent of the moving and artistic bond in between two intellectual people, if you also feel the same way, then, I think you are really having a ‘déjà vu’ moment after this.

P.S. the last stop of the exhibition will be in Paris end this month, followed by the 4th part of the library of Pierre Bergé which auction on 14th Dec at Drouot (also organised by Pierre Bergé & Associés in association with Sotheby’s), for our art collector and connoisseur readers, don’t forget to get your bidding badge ready.

Image courtesy of Sotheby’s Paris, copyright: Sotheby’s / ArtDigital Studio.

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2018/collection-pierre-berge-pf1860.html?locale=en