Yves Saint Laurent‘s business partner Pierre Bergé was one of the most inspiring and pioneering men in fashion for a number of decades. Now, a selection of his art collection, archaeological artefacts and books will be put up for auction through Sotheby’s following his passing in September of last year.
There are over 1,200 pieces that will go under the hammer during the three-day auction including 10 paintings by French expressionist artist Bernard Buffet as well as a sculpture by Picasso and first editions of books by Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde.
The late businessman’s wife, Madison Cox, has organised the sale with the international art house to benefit the Pierre-Bergé Foundation. Speaking to The Guardian, Cox explained, “Part of [Bergé’s] philosophy was you can’t take it with you — the only thing you can do is transform these objects into future projects. My number one concern is the longevity of the foundation in France and Morocco. He made the donations he wanted to friends and family, now a new chapter has opened. For me, it’s important to continue the process he began.”
The auction will take place in October though no definitive date has yet been set. Mario Tavella, the chair of Sotheby’s Europe, told the site, “He collected from every century and every area. I cannot think of a single domain that is not represented in this sale. Right now I cannot tell you exactly how many lots there will be at auction because each time we open a drawer in one of [his] properties, we find something else.”
