Paul Guillaume: Marchand d'art et collectionneur

by Sylphide de Daranyi

"Tous les Parisiens connaissent la boutique de la rue la Boétie où une devanture toujours pittoresque assemblait des masques nègres, des bijoux éthiopiens et des toiles de Kwapil, Derain, Vlaminck, Chirico, Utrillo." La Femme de France, 1934 Charmeur, ambitieux, visionnaire, passionné de peinture mais aussi des arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie : qui était vraiment Paul Guillaume ? Jeune homme issu d'un milieu modeste, il est devenu l'un des marchands et collectionneurs d'art moderne et d'art africain les plus importants de l'Europe des années 1914-1934 vivant entouré d'oeuvres de Modigliani, Soutine, Matisse ou encore Picasso. Trois rencontres ont été décisives dans l'ascension fulgurante de ce redoutable homme d'affaires, celle du poète Guillaume Apollinaire, du collectionneur américain Albert Barnes, et de son épouse Juliette Lacaze. À travers son histoire, découvrez le destin d'oeuvres majeures du XIXᵉ et du début du XXᵉ siècle que l'on peut admirer au musée de l'Orangerie.

288 pages, Paperback

Published September 13, 2023

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

by Sylphide de Daranyi (no photo)

Finish: 07.12.2023
Title: Paul Guillaume
Genre: non-fiction (285 pg)
Language: French
Rating: F+


Good news: I learned so much about several painters (1880s-1920s) and the art movements they were associated with: fauve, cubisme, "les Nabis", intimism, rayonism etc.

Bad news: I did not learn it from this book! I think it would have been easier to make a list of painters
and just read Wikipedia. Extra: on Wiki you have some beautiful images of the paintings.

Personal: After a few pages about P. Guillaume and his rise as one of the most important art dealers on Paris in late 19th C and early 20th C...the book was full on pages about art showings, galleries, who is selling what. The book collapsed like a cold soufflé after page 100.

I kept up my interest thanks to Wikipedia. But the most irriatating part was Ms. Daranyi's insistance on mentioning the prices paid for paintings by Gauillume's clients.
Who cares?

In the conclusion we discover the diabolical machinations of Mrs. Juliette Guiallume. She was a ruthless social climber, wrapped poor Paul around her little finger leaving dead bodies in her wake! Now that is the making of a great book.

Last thought: This book was shortlisted for the Prix André Malraux 2023…but IMO had no chance of winning. The research is a mile wide and an inch deep…loaded with (at times) superfluous information that makes it weary reading.