Magritte and Picasso: Vanthournout Collection Fetches €46 Million at Christie’s

One of Belgium’s largest private art collections, amassed over six decades by Roger and Josette Vanthournout, has been sold at Christie’s in London for a total of €46 million (approximately $54 million). The collection, featuring masterpieces by René Magritte, Pablo Picasso, and Henry Moore, reflects the couple’s passion for modern and contemporary art.

A Lifetime of Collecting

Roger Vanthournout, a trained interior designer and founder of furniture manufacturer Aurora, and his wife Josette, a painter herself, began collecting art in the 1950s. Initially focused on Chinese ceramics and Flemish Expressionism, their tastes evolved to encompass Surrealism, Minimalism, and postwar art. Their approach was meticulous, involving detailed research, photography, and even measurements taken during visits to galleries and auction houses, as noted by Christie’s.

The Vanthournout Residence: A ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’

The Vanthournout’s home in Flanders was conceived as a “Gesamtkunstwerk”—a total work of art where architecture, design, and fine art existed in harmony. The couple carefully curated the display of their pieces, considering how each artwork would best be showcased within their home. This dedication transformed their residence into a unique artistic environment.

Highlights of the Collection

The auction included a rare 1964 Lucio Fontana, Concetto spaziale, Attese, featuring 10 incisions, estimated at £2,000,000-3,000,000. Other notable works included pieces by René Magritte, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, and Henry Moore, as well as Yayoi Kusama, Bruce Nauman, Thomas Schütte, and Tracey Emin. René Magritte’s La plaine de l’air (1940) was a key piece in the sale.

Sale Details

The auction took place across multiple sales at Christie’s London, including an evening sale on March 5th, a daytime sale on March 6th, and an online sale running from February 25th to March 12th. The collection spanned over 100 artists and a range of movements, styles, and media, including painting, sculpture, works on paper, and photography.

A Reflection of Personal Passion

The Vanthournout collection is described as a reflection of the couple’s personal passion for living with art that resonated with them. Their outward-looking approach, shaped by travel and curiosity, resulted in a diverse and significant collection of 20th and 21st-century art.