MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2025 
Autumn’s Highlights - The "Oeuvres Choisies" Exhibition
T his season, nearly thirty-five auction houses have brought together exceptional pieces across all specialties - from Antiquity to comics - for the new edition of "Œuvres Choisies", on view in Room 9 at the Hôtel Drouot from 3 to 8 November.
The autumn selection celebrates masterpieces that have withstood the test of time, including remarkable examples of Egyptian and Roman art such as an imposing granodiorite fragment of a lion-headed Sekhmet from the 18th Dynasty, and a striking marble torso of Dionysus.
In the field of graphic arts, Impressionist, Modern and Abstract movements take centre stage. Renoir, Degas and Caillebotte represent the first, while Metzinger, Kupka and Picabia stand out among the great signatures of the early 20th century. Soulages, Riopelle, Reigl, Mathieu and Bourgeois embody with brilliance the post-war artistic renewal. These will be displayed alongside an exceptional desk by Ben Swildens for Max Ingrand, a commission by Peugeot for its Champs-Elysées headquarters.
In contrast with the modern and contemporary boldness, the delicacy of a young man’s head by Volterra, the meticulous execution of a one-of-a-kind still life by Boucher, the virtuosic harmony of Falconet’s monumental groups La Chasse and La Pêche, and the evident elegance of a commode by Cressent are sure to captivate lovers of classical refinement.
The exhibition also highlights iconic creations from more recent times: a Hermès Birkin bag once owned by Jane Birkin, later gifted to her lifelong friend and photographer; and an exceptional original drawing by Uderzo for Les Lauriers de César, the eighteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series.
In the field of graphic arts, Impressionist, Modern and Abstract movements take centre stage. Renoir, Degas and Caillebotte represent the first, while Metzinger, Kupka and Picabia stand out among the great signatures of the early 20th century. Soulages, Riopelle, Reigl, Mathieu and Bourgeois embody with brilliance the post-war artistic renewal. These will be displayed alongside an exceptional desk by Ben Swildens for Max Ingrand, a commission by Peugeot for its Champs-Elysées headquarters.
In contrast with the modern and contemporary boldness, the delicacy of a young man’s head by Volterra, the meticulous execution of a one-of-a-kind still life by Boucher, the virtuosic harmony of Falconet’s monumental groups La Chasse and La Pêche, and the evident elegance of a commode by Cressent are sure to captivate lovers of classical refinement.
The exhibition also highlights iconic creations from more recent times: a Hermès Birkin bag once owned by Jane Birkin, later gifted to her lifelong friend and photographer; and an exceptional original drawing by Uderzo for Les Lauriers de César, the eighteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series.
