A Saturday at Drouot: The Spirit of Modernity

D rouot is now open every Saturday, with a programme built around a series of themes that transforms the Hôtel des Ventes into a place of discovery, encounters, experiences and exchange, open to all — including those who are unable to visit during the week.

What if Saturday became the day to step through Hôtel Drouot’s doors and experience something truly out of the ordinary, in the company of the people who bring the auction world to life?

Marked by both breaks and continuities, quiet revolutions and bold avant-gardes, the 20th century — a laboratory for tastes and styles — irrevocably transformed Western art. Discover a selection of works at Drouot that reflects the aesthetic and conceptual ferment of the period, from the 1890s to the 1970s, and be inspired by the spirit of modernity that runs through our auction rooms.

Pre-sale exhibitions to discover

- Classical vs Modern: A Collection
OGER BLANCHET auction house
Rooms 1 & 7
Sale on 13 October

- The Collection of Philippe Olland, from the Musée Émaux et Verres d’Art
MILLON auction house
Room 4
Sale on 13 October

- 20th-Century Art, Contemporary Art & Design
DROUOT ESTIMATIONS
Room 5
Sale on 14 October

Alongside a remarkable set of four nesting tables with gold-leaf lacquered tops, stamped by Jean Dunand, DROUOT ESTIMATIONS’ sale will focus primarily on contemporary art and design, presenting a panorama that ranges from the abstraction of Simon Hantaï and Jean Degottex to the distinctive imprints of Claude Viallat, a founding member of the Supports/Surfaces group, and from the purity of line of Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Chapo to the exuberance of Gaetano Pesce.

Originally from Lorraine and a publisher by profession, Philippe Olland spent three decades building an important collection devoted to Art Nouveau and Art Deco glassware, with eastern France having been the country’s principal centre of production. Driven by an indefatigable quest for both objects and knowledge, his passion eventually led him to establish a museum dedicated to the field. Following the first sale in September, the second part of his collection, offered by MILLON in Room 4, once again brings together the leading names in the discipline, from Argy-Rousseau, Gallé and Daum to Lalique and Colotte, alongside more lesser-known makers such as Legras and Thuret.

Classical vs Modern... OGER BLANCHET & ASSOCIÉS invites visitors to explore an eclectic collection in which Old Master drawings and paintings from the Italian, French and Dutch schools take pride of place, while 17th-century marble and alabaster sculptures enter into dialogue with works by Arman and Mitoraj.

The cultural programme

Booking at : evenements@drouot.com
Please note that all tours and talks will be conducted in French.

Discovery Tour | Inside the Hôtel Drouot

Time: 11:30am–12:45pm
Speaker: Adriane GRÜNBERG, qualified auctioneer and consultant at Drouot Digital
25 participants, advance booking required

The Hôtel des Ventes Drouot invites you to step inside the world of auctions. Immerse yourself in this iconic institution, an essential reference in the art market, and discover its history from the Second Empire to the present day, the organisation of auctions and the intricacies of the auctioneer’s profession.
Behind its red drapes, the Hôtel des Ventes is home to a vibrant ecosystem that brings a fast-paced rhythm of bidding and hammer falls to the heart of the capital.
Follow your guide through Drouot’s auction rooms and discover that the world of auctions holds no more secrets for you!

Expert Talk | The Philippe Olland Collection: A Passion for Glass

Time: 12:30–1pm
Speakers: Claude-Annie MARZET, expert, and Antonio CASCIELLO, specialist
Auction house: MILLON
Room 4
25 participants, advance booking required

The collection assembled by Philippe Olland provides the perfect setting for the experts and specialists in Decorative Arts at MILLON to introduce visitors to the complex and fascinating techniques behind art glass and crystal, as well as to the profound stylistic and technical changes the discipline underwent from the second half of the 19th century onwards — from naturalism to mineral forms, and from artisanal craftsmanship to industrial production, while always preserving the nobility of the maker’s hand.

Auctioneer’s Talk | Simon Hantaï: A Master of Abstraction

Time: 4:30–5pm
Speaker: Nicolas COUVRAND, auctioneer
Auction house: DROUOT ESTIMATIONS
Room 5
25 participants, advance booking required

Through an exceptional group of five monumental works never before offered at public auction, Nicolas Couvrand, auctioneer at Drouot Estimations, will explore Simon Hantaï’s artistic experiments from 1955 to the late 1960s — a pivotal period in his career following his break with the Surrealist movement.

Formerly part of the collection of Jean Fournier, a visionary champion of modern art who opened his gallery in 1963, these canvases trace the powerful and mysterious trajectory of the Hungarian-born artist, from his still relatively little-known gestural period to his iconic folding technique.

Practical information

A Saturday at Drouot
Every Saturday (except 17 and 31 October)
11am–6pm
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