SAMSTAG, 14. NOVEMBER 2026 
A Selection from Matthieu Ricard's Archives
The selection brings together images that reflect the diversity of perspectives and moments captured by Matthieu Ricard throughout his travels. Highlights include sacred dances performed by monks in Trongsar, Bhutan, a portrait of the young “Karuna girl”, which has become emblematic of Karuna-Shechen, and Matthieu Ricard in meditation inside a Hindu temple in Karnataka.
Other photographs invite viewers to contemplate vast landscapes, from aerial views of the Andes to the Himalayan peaks at sunrise. Each image tells its own story of an encounter, a place or a fleeting moment.
The auction will feature 130 photographs, offered as fine art prints in a range of formats, from 45 × 45 cm to 100 × 150 cm. Estimates range from €100 for the smallest formats to approximately €300 for the largest. A further online-only sale featuring nearly 100 additional works will follow at a later date.
An Auction in Support of Karuna-Shechen
Founded by Matthieu Ricard in 2000, Karuna-Shechen supports marginalised communities across the Himalayan region, helping them to take action, make decisions and shape their own futures. Each year, the organisation reaches nearly 500,000 people through programmes in healthcare, hygiene, food security, education and economic development. Since 2000, Matthieu Ricard has dedicated all his royalties and photographic work to Karuna-Shechen.
Between 1890 and 1914, Pictorialism occupied a pivotal place in the history of photography. Derived from the English word *picture*, meaning “image”, the movement sought to establish photography as an art form in its own right. Two vintage gelatin silver prints by Alfred Enke, *Woman with a Flower* and *Woman with a Veil*, dating from around 1899–1902, offer valuable examples of this approach (estimate: €2,000–4,000 each).
Enke was one of the few wealthy amateur photographers in Germany to adopt the Pictorialist style around 1890. He appears to have exhibited in England in the early 20th century. His work was praised by leading photography publications, including the prestigious magazine *The Amateur Photographer*, which devoted an article to him in 1903, describing him as an outstanding Pictorialist photographer.
A few decades earlier, Louis Robert was already helping to establish photography as a new means of documenting industrial and artistic heritage. From the 1850s onwards, his practice, shaped by his work at the Sèvres porcelain manufactory, illustrates the medium's early applications in the decorative arts, combining documentation, technical research and aesthetic ambition. Sèvres Manufactory, Staircase in the Snow, circa 1852, is a case in point (estimate: €1,800–2,500).
Another testament to the early days of photography is Eugène Disdéri's Portrait of Mr Frédéric Henry Tudor, taken in 1862 and originating from the photographer's studio archive. Saved from destruction by General Rebora, who gave it to his friend, the collector Maurice Levert, it illustrates the history of an archive notable for preserving eight views on a single plate. In 1854, Disdéri had invented the carte-de-visite format, consisting of small portraits mounted on card and handed to clients (estimate: €500–800).
In the 20th century, photography explored new aesthetic territories. Nicknamed “Mr Rollei”, Fritz Henle developed an eclectic body of work driven by a constant search for harmony and beauty. Often favouring the square format, he made the most of its graphic qualities to create highly precise compositions. From portraiture and fashion to the nude and landscape, his work is distinguished by elegant lines and a masterful command of light. Yucca, The Desert, New Mexico, taken in 1943, is a fine example of this timeless, classical approach (estimate: €300–500).
Fashion Photographers
This aesthetic pursuit finds a particular expression in fashion photography, where the body, light and the model's presence become the central elements of the image. Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and Herb Ritts each developed a distinctive visual language at the intersection of portraiture, fashion and 20th-century visual culture.
The sale brings together three prints by these celebrated photographers: a portrait of Dorothy McGowan, taken by Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar as part of a series devoted to Yves Saint Laurent in 1962–1963 (estimate: €3,000–5,000); Nudes on the Sand, Duo, circa 1990, by Herb Ritts (estimate: €5,000–8,000); and Diving Tower, Old Beach Hotel, photographed by Helmut Newton in Monte Carlo in 1981 (estimate: €15,000–20,000).
The body is also a central theme in the work of René Groebli, represented by twelve prints from 2017 devoted to two of his recurring subjects: the detail of a woman's nape and the nude. Through his exploration of light, lines and textures, the photographer develops a highly graphic approach to the human body, which he revisited at different stages of his career, notably in the 1950s and again in the early 2000s (estimate: €12,000–18,000).
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Paris Photo: Photography Takes Centre Stage at Drouot
T o coincide with Paris Photo, the Hôtel Drouot is hosting two photography auctions just three days apart. The first is dedicated to the work of photographer and Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, with proceeds benefiting his humanitarian organisation Karuna-Shechen. The second offers a journey through nearly two centuries of photography, from its earliest processes to contemporary creations.
Matthieu Ricard Photographs in Support of Karuna-Shechen
Saturday, 14 November
On Saturday, 14 November 2026, the Hôtel Drouot will host an auction of photographs by Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk, author and former cellular genetics researcher, organised by Nouvelle Étude. All net proceeds from the sale will go to Karuna-Shechen to support its projects in Nepal in response to the floods that struck several Himalayan regions on 26 August 2026.
60 Years of PhotographyFor more than 60 years, Matthieu Ricard has developed a photographic body of work shaped by his encounters and travels. He began taking photographs at around the age of fifteen, under the guidance of André Fatras, one of France's pioneers of wildlife photography. His images explore landscapes, faces, spiritual life and the natural world. While the Himalayas occupy a central place in his work, his lens has also captured other regions of the world, including Iceland, Chile and Argentina.
A Selection from Matthieu Ricard's Archives
The selection brings together images that reflect the diversity of perspectives and moments captured by Matthieu Ricard throughout his travels. Highlights include sacred dances performed by monks in Trongsar, Bhutan, a portrait of the young “Karuna girl”, which has become emblematic of Karuna-Shechen, and Matthieu Ricard in meditation inside a Hindu temple in Karnataka.
Other photographs invite viewers to contemplate vast landscapes, from aerial views of the Andes to the Himalayan peaks at sunrise. Each image tells its own story of an encounter, a place or a fleeting moment.
The auction will feature 130 photographs, offered as fine art prints in a range of formats, from 45 × 45 cm to 100 × 150 cm. Estimates range from €100 for the smallest formats to approximately €300 for the largest. A further online-only sale featuring nearly 100 additional works will follow at a later date.
An Auction in Support of Karuna-Shechen
Founded by Matthieu Ricard in 2000, Karuna-Shechen supports marginalised communities across the Himalayan region, helping them to take action, make decisions and shape their own futures. Each year, the organisation reaches nearly 500,000 people through programmes in healthcare, hygiene, food security, education and economic development. Since 2000, Matthieu Ricard has dedicated all his royalties and photographic work to Karuna-Shechen.
A journey through the history of photography with Yann Le Mouël
Tuesday, 17 November
Bringing together 380 lots, Yann Le Mouël , in collaboration with photography expert Charlotte Barthélémy, presents on 17 November a journey through the history of photography, from the 19th century to contemporary art.
The works explore a wide range of themes, revealing visual connections, echoes and dialogues between images. Selected for their distinctive character and aesthetic strength, they form an original ensemble that invites viewers to rediscover classical, modern and contemporary photography from a distinctly fresh perspective.
Between 1890 and 1914, Pictorialism occupied a pivotal place in the history of photography. Derived from the English word *picture*, meaning “image”, the movement sought to establish photography as an art form in its own right. Two vintage gelatin silver prints by Alfred Enke, *Woman with a Flower* and *Woman with a Veil*, dating from around 1899–1902, offer valuable examples of this approach (estimate: €2,000–4,000 each).
Enke was one of the few wealthy amateur photographers in Germany to adopt the Pictorialist style around 1890. He appears to have exhibited in England in the early 20th century. His work was praised by leading photography publications, including the prestigious magazine *The Amateur Photographer*, which devoted an article to him in 1903, describing him as an outstanding Pictorialist photographer.
A few decades earlier, Louis Robert was already helping to establish photography as a new means of documenting industrial and artistic heritage. From the 1850s onwards, his practice, shaped by his work at the Sèvres porcelain manufactory, illustrates the medium's early applications in the decorative arts, combining documentation, technical research and aesthetic ambition. Sèvres Manufactory, Staircase in the Snow, circa 1852, is a case in point (estimate: €1,800–2,500).
Another testament to the early days of photography is Eugène Disdéri's Portrait of Mr Frédéric Henry Tudor, taken in 1862 and originating from the photographer's studio archive. Saved from destruction by General Rebora, who gave it to his friend, the collector Maurice Levert, it illustrates the history of an archive notable for preserving eight views on a single plate. In 1854, Disdéri had invented the carte-de-visite format, consisting of small portraits mounted on card and handed to clients (estimate: €500–800).
In the 20th century, photography explored new aesthetic territories. Nicknamed “Mr Rollei”, Fritz Henle developed an eclectic body of work driven by a constant search for harmony and beauty. Often favouring the square format, he made the most of its graphic qualities to create highly precise compositions. From portraiture and fashion to the nude and landscape, his work is distinguished by elegant lines and a masterful command of light. Yucca, The Desert, New Mexico, taken in 1943, is a fine example of this timeless, classical approach (estimate: €300–500).
Fashion Photographers
This aesthetic pursuit finds a particular expression in fashion photography, where the body, light and the model's presence become the central elements of the image. Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and Herb Ritts each developed a distinctive visual language at the intersection of portraiture, fashion and 20th-century visual culture.
The sale brings together three prints by these celebrated photographers: a portrait of Dorothy McGowan, taken by Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar as part of a series devoted to Yves Saint Laurent in 1962–1963 (estimate: €3,000–5,000); Nudes on the Sand, Duo, circa 1990, by Herb Ritts (estimate: €5,000–8,000); and Diving Tower, Old Beach Hotel, photographed by Helmut Newton in Monte Carlo in 1981 (estimate: €15,000–20,000).
The body is also a central theme in the work of René Groebli, represented by twelve prints from 2017 devoted to two of his recurring subjects: the detail of a woman's nape and the nude. Through his exploration of light, lines and textures, the photographer develops a highly graphic approach to the human body, which he revisited at different stages of his career, notably in the 1950s and again in the early 2000s (estimate: €12,000–18,000).
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Online Auctions at Drouot.com
Ader – Photography
On 12 and 13 November, Ader will present a two-part photography auction. Highlights include a vintage print of Baltic Sea – Rügen, an iconic work by Hiroshi Sugimoto from his Seascapes series (1996), estimated at €20,000–30,000, as well as two gelatin silver prints by Bernd and Hilla Becher, each estimated at €8,000–12,000, and a unique work signed by Andy Warhol, Untitled (Levelors), 1976–1986 (estimate: €30,000–40,000).
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Gros & Delettrez – The Jean-Pierre Laffont Collection
On 16 November, this sale will celebrate the work of French-American photographer Jean-Pierre Laffont through a collection of 157 photographs spanning nearly six decades of his career. His images document American society, from the streets of New York to the protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as some of the era's leading figures, including Muhammad Ali, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Salvador Dalí.
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De Baecque & Associés – Paul Strand: The Orgeval Friends Collection and Other Works
This sale celebrates American photographer Paul Strand (1890–1976) through an ensemble of nearly 200 lots. Photographs, photogravures and personal documents trace his artistic career and private world. The sale is complemented by photographs by Willy Ronis, Sabine Weiss and Dominique Darbois.
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Millon – Photographies «Collections & Propositions»
Finally, on 17 November, Millon will present a panorama of photographic history featuring major names such as Gustave Le Gray, Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Brassaï and Helmut Newton. One of the highlights of the catalogue is an ensemble of 59 lots devoted to photographer Paul Almasy (1906–2003).
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