• 200 lots from the collection of Marion Meyer – gallerist, curator, Man Ray expert and a close friend of the artist, president of the Man Ray International Association 
• A collection perfectly mirroring the diversity of Man Ray’s oeuvre with selected paintings, drawings, objects, photographs, etc. 
• A sale coinciding with the centenary of the Surrealist Manifesto 
• A selection of Objets de mon affection paying tribute to the artist's relationship with Marcel Zerbib, Marion Meyer’s husband 
• 100 photographs  

Paris – Christie’s presents Man Ray dans la collection de Marion Meyer, a sale entirely devoted to the leading surrealist figure in Paris on 11 April 2024, at 2pm. Just as Paris is getting ready to celebrate the Centenary of the Surrealist Manifesto, first published on 15 October, 1924, this auction, will follow The Art of the Surreal Evening Sale, a unique standalone surreal sale in London on 7 March 2024. 

A gallerist on her own, married to the late Marcel Zerbib (1924-1980), Man Ray's historic art-dealer, Marion Meyer is a renowned specialist in Man Ray’s oeuvre. A close friend of the artist, she chairs the Man Ray International Association. The auction features 200 pieces from her personal collection, perfectly reflecting Man Ray’s eclecticism. The selection includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, objects, and photographs sometimes unseen on the market before. With estimates ranging from €300 to €300,000, and a global appraisal from 2.4 to 3.5 M€, the sale appeals to a wide range of collectors and enthusiasts. 

Marion Meyer, Marcel Zerbib and Man Ray: a mutual affection 

Born in Frankfurt, Marion Meyer settled in Paris in the 1960s. She quickly establishes herself as an international specialist on Dadaism and Surrealism. With close connections to many artists, she has founded several international galleries in both Paris and Frankfurt, dedicated to leading figures in modern and contemporary art such as Marcel Duchamp, Francis Picabia, Max Ernst, and Tony Oursler. Among them, Man Ray’s oeuvre is a special feature. Married to Marcel Zerbib– a gallery owner, an editor, and a key intellectual figure in Paris, Marion Meyer quickly shares her husband’s friendship with Man Ray. This enduring relationship made of joie de vivre, endless chess games, and a deeply inspiring collaboration is the starting point of an intimate and utterly unique collection. It is also instrumental in Marion Meyer’s unparalleled expertise on Man Ray’s oeuvre. Over the years, Marion Meyer has curated significant international Man Ray exhibitions. She leads the Man Ray International Association for the past two decades. 

Impeccable provenances 

Several paintings from the artist’s studio will highlight the sale. Inherited by Juliet Man Ray in 1976, they were subsequently acquired by Marion Meyer in public auctions. This includes Desert Plant, a small oil painting from 1946 (€200,000 - 300,000), and La Quadrature, a painted panel from 1938 (€150,000 - 250,000). Other works reflect Man Ray’s intimate relations and artistic inclinations and influences. Le rire de rêve (€150,000 - 200,000) was acquired by his partner Adrienne Fidelin. Pensée d’une femme, a rayograph from 1922 long belonged to Hans Richter (€8,000 - 12,000). All’s Well That Ends Well, from the Shakespearean Equations – one of Surrealism’s most significant art series – has been exhibited at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the MOCA in Los Angeles, the Fundación Picasso in Malaga, and the Bunkamura Museum in Tokyo (€100,000 - 150,000). Several pieces in the sale, such as Demain or Tomorrow (€50,000 - 70,000) were gifted by the artist to Marcel Zerbib. 

Objets de mon affection 

Following Marcel Zerbib’s advice, Man Ray initiated the series Objets de mon affection in the 1920s and 30s. Reminding of Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades, these small objects were particularly cherished by Man Ray. The sale features several of them, including a chess board from 1962 often used by Man Ray and Marcel Zerbib. Designed by the artist in collaboration with Jean-Michel Franck, the table features a bespoke poem engraved in its frame (€20,000 - 30,000).  
 

Personal photographs  

Nearly 100 of Man Ray’s photographs will be available for sale on 11 April. Though a portrait of Marcel Duchamp (€6,000 - 8,000), underscores the influence of Duchamp on Man Ray’s transition to photography, the Marion Meyer collection also unveils more intimate and less visible aspects of the Man Ray’s oeuvre. The selection features some self-portraits in Paris, New York and LA, sometimes set in the studio, portraits of Juliet Man Ray playing Bach, or an ensemble of holiday shots from the beaches of Antibes in 1938 (€4,000 - 6,000). A gallery of its time, the collection includes portraits of prominent artists – predominantly Surrealists – including Tristan Tzara, Juan Gris, Hans Bellmer, Henri Matisse, Nusch Eluard, Jean Cocteau and Alice Prin, also known as Kiki de Montparnasse. Additionally, the collection highlights, often less visible female figures of Surrealism, such as writer Lise Deharme as a Dame de Pique (estimated at €15,000 - 20,000), Barbette (estimated at €4,000 - 6,000) as well as Jacqueline Duhême and Lee Miller. Transcending her role as a student and muse, Lee Miller quickly became an essential artistic collaborator, notably during experiments with solarization. The sale also includes several portraits of Adrienne Fidelin, the first Black model to be featured in a leading U.S. fashion magazine (Harper’s Bazaar in 1937). A muse and a partner of Man Ray, appearing in numerous photographs, she was long pushed to the sideline of history. However, in 2019, the Black Models: from Géricault to Matisse exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay helped bringing Fidelin back into the spotlight. Among portrait of the Guadeloupean performer, the Orsay exhibition included Le rire de rêve, a canvas from Adrienne Fidelin’s personal collection later acquired by Marion Meyer (€150,000-200,000€) Also featured in the sale are several rayographs, including one of the highlights of the sale, Sans Titre (€80,000-120,000), a medium Man Ray began experimenting with in 1921 upon his arrival in Paris. This technique, invented by Man Ray, involves placing objects on photosensitive paper and exposing the composition to light, embodying Surrealist thought and practice. 

Christie’s celebrates the centenary of Surrealism 

Marking the centenary of the Surrealist Manifesto’s (first released in Paris on 15 October 1924), Christie’s invites artist Audrey Guttman to design and curate an exhibition relating to her own work. This initiative will take place in September 2024 alongside the Centre Pompidou’s exhibition in celebration of Surrealism. 

The event is part of Christie’s Cartes blanches given to young artists in the Paris art scene.

PRACTICAL INFO 

Man Ray dans la collection Marion Meyer live auction: 11 April 2024, 2pm 

Preview: 3 to 11 April 2024 Christie's 9, Avenue Matignon - 75008 Paris