The Yves Saint Laurent-Pierre Berge Collection: The Sale of the Century

An authoritative book published in collaboration with Christie’s, featuring photographs of the Bergé Saint Laurent collection in situ, complete with estimated value information and final auction prices. In February 2009, 733 pieces from Pierre Bergé’s and Yves Saint Laurent’s art collection—one of the world’s largest private collections—was auctioned off in a record-breaking sale of the century. Modern paintings, baroque bronzes, antique silverware, statues, cameos, and minerals comprise this diverse collection that furnished the pair’s two luxurious residences in Paris, and included major works by Picasso, Brancusi, Matisse, Mondrian, in addition to furniture by the Art Deco masters Eileen Gray and Jean Dunand. Many works sold for prices far exceeding the highest estimates. The five-volume catalog published by Christie’s for the event sold out before the end of the auction, leaving collectors and art connoisseurs the world over empty-handed. This new book features one hundred of the most important pieces from the collection with detailed commentary by Christie’s experts. An introduction by Christie’s vice president François de Ricqlès revisits the intense three-day auction at the Grand Palais. An appendix includes images of the works sold, accompanied by their estimated values and final auction prices. Publication coincides with the auction of the collection from their Château Gabriel property in November 2009.