Collection of Post-War Art Doyenne Jeanne-Marie de Broglie to Sell at Christie’s

The personal collection of Jeanne-Marie de Broglie, a key figure in the post-war European art market and in the history of Christie’s Paris location, will go under the hammer at the auction house on 30 September. 

de Broglie, who died in September 2025 aged 96, was an influential figure in the art world during the second half of the 20th century. Not only did she establish Christie’s Paris office in 1968, but she also nurtured talent among artists and market figures, helping to shape the art landscape in the era following the Second World War.

The collection reflects her tastemaking expertise but also the friendships she made in the art community, notably gallerist Daniel Cordier, through whom she developed a keen eye for proponents of artistic innovation.

A Christie’s statement described the sale as “a unique moment that highlights a pioneering journey, a visionary spirit and a personality whose influence continues to inspire the house”. It continued: “More than a collection, it is a world that unfolds, that of a cultured woman whose taste, intuition and commitment have left a long-lasting imprint.”

Among the highlights of the lots for sale is a unique cradle table made by Diego Giacometti and modelled on de Broglie’s dog, Séraphine (estimate €400,000–600,000). A Claude Lalanne structure végétal chandelier and Jean Dubuffet’s Texturologie XXIII, La physique du sol (1958) are both estimated at between €200,000 and €300,000.

Other notable lots include Picasso ceramics, a Limoges porcelain service from the 18th century, and works by David Hockney, Marc Chagall, Léon Spilliaert, Dorothea Tanning, Edgar Dégas, Henri Michaux and Eugène Delacroix. 

de Broglie was the daughter of Gilles de Maillé de La Tour-Landry, Duke of Maillé, and Anne-Marie Radziwill. She became a princess through her marriage to Guy de Broglie in 1949 and was a fixture of Parisian high society. Her aristocratic lineage is evident in pieces in the collection, notably a brooch in the shape of a Maltese cross, set with Radziwill family diamonds.

François Curiel, chair of Christie’s Europe, said: “After a year’s apprenticeship in London as a young specialist, I had the privilege of working alongside her in Paris in the 1970s. At that time, she was writing a crucial chapter in the history of the auction house as it expanded internationally.”

Cécile Verdier, chair of Christie’s France, added: “We at Christie’s are proud to carry on the legacy of Jeanne-Marie de Broglie, who remains a deeply inspiring figure thanks to her connection with artists and the standards of excellence she embodied.”