The Heinz Berggruen Collection on Display at the Musée de l’Orangerie

Picasso, Klee, Matisse, Giacometti: check. German art dealer Heinz Berggruen had an eye for talent. His entry into the art market came via a winding road from his Jewish origins in Berlin, exile in California during the Second World War, return to his native country as a journalist, and then to UNESCO’s Paris headquarters, where he became part of the art scene and met young artists.

Guided by a keen eye, Berggruen grew into a successful dealer but also became his own best customer, building up what became one of the most important 20th-century collections. Bequeathed to the German state in 2000, this vast ensemble finds a particular echo in the collection at the Musée de l’Orangerie. The exhibition mixes monographic and thematic threads, including works by Picasso and Klee, remarkable papier collés by Matisse and threadlike sculptures by Giacometti, offering us a unique look at the choices, encounters and affinities that led to the creation of a major art collection.

Until January 27, www.musee-orangerie.fr

From France Today Magazine