Andean Baroque Masterpieces from the Gérard and Catherine Priet Collection

The sale will feature around thirty emblematic works from an art form that is currently experiencing a significant rise in market interest. One particularly striking example, The Apparition of the Virgin of Caïma, also from the Priet Collection and estimated at €60,000–80,000, achieved €403,000 at auction last December—a record that reflects the growing enthusiasm among collectors for this artistic corpus.

Born from the encounter between local artistic traditions and the influence of Spanish missionaries from the 16th century onwards, Andean Baroque developed a deeply original religious iconography. European perspective gave way to a more frontal style; biblical scenes were set in lush landscapes filled with tropical birds and exotic flowers, while Spanish saints stood alongside Inca symbols. All this was often enhanced by delicate gilded patterns using the brocateado technique—one of the signatures of this syncretic art.
 

It was in the 1980s that Gérard Priet—posted to South America by a French company—first discovered this art form, driven by a sincere curiosity. His collection began in New York, sparked by a happy coincidence: the purchase of several paintings from the widow of music producer Joachim Jean Aberbach, a close friend of the painter Fernando Botero, himself a great admirer of Andean Baroque.

From then on, the couple travelled extensively, visiting galleries and auction houses worldwide, forging close ties with scholars and museum curators. Over the decades, their collection grew and eventually became a reference in the field.

Museums and curators soon took notice. Between 2008 and 2019, numerous works from the Priet Collection were loaned for exhibitions in France—including at the Musée du Nouveau Monde in La Rochelle, the Musée des Amériques in Auch, in Lyon (Fourvière), Versailles (Lambinet), the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, the Grand Palais (Louvre)—as well as internationally, notably in Mexico City (Bosque de Chapultepec) in partnership with LACMA, Los Angeles.

More than a private collection, it represents an intellectual commitment and a true project of transmission.

Among the sale’s highlights are several religious scenes drawn from the Bible, such as The Flight into Egypt (lots 96, est. €6,000 – 8,000 and 98, est. €8,000 – 10,000), set in fantastical and symbolic landscapes, as well as Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Prayer (lot 99, est. €8,000 – 12,000).

Other works showcase the stylistic singularities of Andean Baroque, such as An Angel Holding an Arquebus (lot 101, est. €4,000 – 6,000), or a Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, attributed to the workshop of Quispe Tito, a major figure of the Cuzco School, in which the sacred scene unfolds amidst a landscape populated by exotic birds (lot 114, est. €20,000 – 30,000).
 

This second instalment will be followed by a third sale scheduled for October, including a group of silver objects. It will continue the process of passing the torch initiated by the collectors, offering both institutions and enthusiasts the opportunity to further shine a light on this fascinating art form.