André Bernheim and Claude de Soria : A Life Devoted to Art
A Life Devoted to Art
André Bernheim and Claude de Soria dedicated their lives to art in all its forms, united by a shared vision, a dual sensibility, and an uncompromising quest for beauty. From their very first acquisition in 1955—a small painting by Paul Klee—their collection naturally gravitated toward abstraction, bringing together works by major European and American artists including Christo, Sol Lewitt, Rauschenberg, and Vieira da Silva. It stands out for its aesthetic coherence, its breadth, and its ability to bring together seminal works from the history of contemporary art.
These artworks were not collected for the sake of accumulation, but for living with every day. The pieces were hung, visible, and each played an active role in the couple’s daily life. The collection bears the unmistakable imprint of Claude de Soria—a renowned sculptor—and of André Bernheim, a collector and patron who served as President of the Lambert Collection in Avignon.
The sale features a remarkable selection of works, with a strong focus on contemporary drawing—offering a glimpse into the couple’s deep engagement with living art.
Highlights from the Sale
Among the most significant works is Gang durchs Rote Meer (1987) by Anselm Kiefer. This lead book-sculpture, composed of 16 pages, blends photography and raw materials. In this dense, meditative work, the German artist explores memory and transformation, referencing the biblical crossing of the Red Sea. Lead, one of Kiefer’s signature materials, embodies the weight of the past and the alchemical power of art. (Estimate: €80,000–120,000)
Another major highlight, Linea & velocità (1914) by Giacomo Balla, perfectly encapsulates the aesthetics of Italian Futurism. Using charcoal on paper, Balla captures the energy and dynamism of a new modern era with striking visual intensity. This rare drawing expresses the artist’s drive to translate the momentum of his time into dynamic form. (Estimate: €60,000–100,000)
The collection also includes a large gouache on paper by Sol LeWitt, Horizontal Brushstrokes (1992), estimated at €60,000–80,000. With this series, LeWitt shifted toward a more gestural approach: the spontaneity of the brushstroke converses with structural rigour. The colourful, free movement contrasts with his earlier conceptual works, creating a rich tension between system and expression.
Those drawn to monumental projects will be pleased to encounter a graphite drawing by Christo from 1969, Wool Bales Wrapped, linked to his intervention at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. This preparatory work, estimated at €40,000–60,000, reveals the poetic and political force of Christo’s vision, where wrapping becomes a gesture of revelation.
In a more minimalist register, Bernar Venet is represented with Lignes droites/obliques (1996), a charcoal and pencil work on paper estimated at €20,000–30,000. True to his exploration of mathematics and geometry, Venet plays with the tension introduced by a simple tilt, transforming abstraction into something almost sculptural and vibrantly alive.
Earlier in date but no less expressive, La vue du boulevard Saint-Jacques (1955) by Maria Helena Vieira da Silva reflects the artist’s mature period. This charcoal drawing evokes the mental and urban complexity characteristic of her work, weaving grids, lines, and fragmented space. (Estimate: €20,000–30,000)
The collection also includes a meditative collage by Robert Rauschenberg, Egyptian Series (1973). In this gouache on paper, the American artist evokes Egypt not through symbolism but through substance: sandy hues, fragmented forms, and tactile textures. A discreet, sensitive work, estimated at €15,000–20,000, it touches on the archaeology of vision.
Finally, two works by Claude de Soria, taken directly from her studio, remind us of the sculptural force of her artistic language. These untitled cement spheres, created in the 1970s, bear witness to her delicate approach to raw material. Cast in soft moulds, they retain the imprint of gesture, gravity, water, and air. (Estimate upon request)
