Jacques-Nicolas Billaud-Varenne (1756-1819) Autograph letter signed and dated November 18, 1790, addressed to a newspaper editor, pleading for the publication of his verse poem committed to the Revolution. "when the object of this poem is to cover the enemies of the constitution with ridicule, and there is no weapon in france more deadly than this one, to hasten to bring this work to light is, I believe, to make an act of patriotism". Jacques-Nicolas Billaud-Varenne, a former parliamentary lawyer and Paris deputy, was an important member of the Comité de salut public during the French Revolution.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.