Press release : 2026 Easter Sales, April 3 to 6 : Press release
2026 Easter Sales, April 3 to 6 : Press release
Estimate : 22 000€ /25 000€
Art Passion and Exceptional Collections
Contemporary glasswork will therefore take centre stage with pieces by the master glassmaker Jean-Claude Novaro (1943–2014), known as "the glass magician". A selection from the private collection of his daughter Léa Novaro, including a blown-glass clown bottle, signed and dated 1998, illustrating the colourful and poetic world of the glassmaker, renowned for his virtuoso work with glass.
A remarkable private collection of perfume bottles by Molinard, spanning nearly six decades of design (1921–1979), will be showcased. Among these pieces is an elegant “Calendal” bottle created in 1937 by Molinard, made of white, blown, moulded and gilded glass. This rare model, signed “Molinard Made in France Lalique”, bears witness to the refinement of French perfumery in the interwar period.
Photography will also take centre stage through a private family collection dedicated to the renowned photographer Ralph Gatti (1936–2005). It offers a unique insight into, amongst other things, the Cannes Film Festival and captures personalities such as Federico Fellini, Marcello Mastroianni, Faye Dunaway, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Brel, as well as Lady Di, Diana and Prince Albert of England, and others.
Exhibitions : Perspectives on the 20th Century, Contemporary Art, Furniture and Decorative Arts
The sale will also feature a remarkable collection of 20th-century paintings, offering a broad overview spanning abstraction, figurative art and landscapes. An important work by Hans Hartung (1904–1989), T1980-H42, 1980, an acrylic on canvas, monogrammed and dated in the top right-hand corner, which reveals the full power of gestural abstraction.
The female figure occupies a central place in the work of several artists of the École de Paris. In "Jeune fille, le buste découvert, 1947", Moïse Kisling (1891–1953) presents a delicate and luminous portrait in which the softness of the colours highlights the model’s presence. With the oil on paper mounted on canvas Baroque Nude, circa 1933, André Lhote (1885–1962) offers a more structured vision of the female body, blending modern composition with classical elegance.
Landscapes also feature prominently in the sale. In "Landscape with a River at Méricourt, 1924", Maximilien Luce (1858–1941) captures a peaceful atmosphere in which the light brings the water and vegetation to life. This sensitivity to nature is also evident in Roger Mühl’s (1929–2008) “Landscape near Grasse”, a work vibrant with colour, inspired by the light of the south. Provence also inspired Pierre Ambrogiani (1907–1985) in a view of “Ferrassières (Drôme), Mont Ventoux”, where warm tones and powerful forms convey the strength of the Provençal landscape.
The animal world appears majestically in “Tigers at Rest” by Paul Jouve (1878–1973), an elegant composition in which the felines are depicted with power and precision, much like the force emanating from the bronze sculpture with a brown patina, signed on the front leg “Rhinoceros, 1987” by Arman (1928–2005) .
Finally, an iconic ceramic piece by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) completes this collection. Created in 1953 at the Madoura studio in Vallauris, the "Gothic Jug with Birds" bears witness to the artist’s inventiveness in the field of ceramics. Not to mention the centrepiece of 18th-century decorative arts : an exceptional pair of Louis XV-era corner cabinets decorated with figures, pagodas, birds, leafy trees and utensils, bearing a JME guild mark and stamped D. Genty : Denis Genty, who was appointed master craftsman in 1754.
Fine wines and exceptional jewellery
The sale will also feature two special days dedicated to Fine Wines & Spirits, showcasing prestigious private collections. Among the 1024 lots are a bottle of 1978 Musigny from Domaine Georges Roumier and six bottles of 2005 Petrus.
In the Fine Jewellery section, a significant 8,68 carats round half-cut diamond, colour M, clarity VVS2, will complete this collection, alongside numerous major names including Van Cleef & Arpels, Set by Georges Lenfant, this yellow gold necklace features graduated concentric links, with the central motifs set with brilliant cut diamonds totalling approximately 7,80 carats.
For further information on this exceptional auction, please contact Besch Cannes Auction on 00.33.(0)4.93.99.33.49 or by email at besch@cannesauction.com
Press contact : Isabelle de Puysegur - Tel : 33(0)6 60 57 58 78 - i.puysegur@wanadoo.fr
