René Gaffé (1887-1968) René Gaffé (1887-1968)Tamara Schild and Marion Bertin René Gaffé (1887-1968) stands out as a fascinating figure in 20th-century collecting, at the crossroads of the European avant-garde and the so-called “non-Western” arts. An industrialist, journalist, bibliophile, art critic, collector, and patron of the arts, he was acquainted with the major figures of the Dada and Surrealist movements, most notably Tristan Tzara (1896-1963), Paul Éluard (1895-1952), and André Breton (1896-1966). At the heart of his passion, Gaffé assembled a remarkable collection of non-European objects, particularly Oceanic artworks, from the first decades of the 20th century on. Sculptures, masks, and ritual figures from New Ireland, Rapa Nui, and Vanuatu all attest to his insatiable curiosity. With his refined taste and an ability to recognize the expressive power of Oceanic art that he developed early on, Gaffé appears to have been a visionary. His collection remains a unique testimony to the encounter between European modernity and non-European art. René Magritte, Portrait de René Gaffé, 1942 O/C, 55.3 x 45 cm (21¾ in. x 17¾ in.), Private collection René Gaffé: His Life and His Collection René Gaffé was born in Brussels on January 22, 1887. Orphaned at an early age, he appears to have been raised by a guardian in an environment conducive to artistic development, and he experienced his first aesthetic emotions upon viewing a reproduction of Erasmus by Holbein. After completing his classical studies at the Athénée Royale boarding school in Ostend, Flanders, where he was part of a bourgeois and cosmopolitan social group, he turned to journalism and adopted the pseudonym René Chambry. During World War I, Gaffé held a leadership position in the Allied counterintelligence services and received several decorations at the end of the conflict. After the armistice, he continued his career as a journalist in Amsterdam and founded the French-language daily newspaper Écho Belge. Later, at an unknown date, he created the Provence perfume company, which provided him with the financial resources he needed for his artistic acquisitions. Gaffé began collecting during his student years, focusing mainly on 17th century paintings by minor Flemish artists. An encounter with a Belgian dealer prompted him to turn to contemporary art: he sold his classical collection at auction and turned his attention first to Impressionism, and then to Cubism. Over time, he forged relationships with major players in the art market, including Léonce Rosenberg (1879-1947), Wilhelm Uhde (1874-1947), and Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler (1884-1979), who sold him works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Georges Braque (1882-1963), Fernand Léger (1881-1955), Juan Gris (1887-1927), and Jean Metzinger (1883-1956). From 1916 onwards, Gaffé corresponded with Tristan Tzara, who was heavily involved in promoting the Dada movement and founding the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich at the time. In a letter dated July 21 of that year, Tzara spoke highly of the Gaffé collection, mentioning, among other things, its “Negro pieces.” This letter confirms that Gaffé was already interested in the non-European arts at that time and that his collection was already known and appreciated in avant-garde circles. During the 1920s, Gaffé strengthened his ties with the surrealist circles, particularly with André Breton, whom he had met at the beginning of World War I, around 1914, and with Paul Éluard. He then deepened his knowledge of African and Oceanic art. He visited the studios of Joan Miró (1893–1983), Max Ernst (1891–1976), Jean Arp (1886–1966), and René Magritte (1898–1967). The latter became a close friend and later painted his portrait (see above). Although the Gaffé collection already included non-European works before 1916, the first documented acquisitions date from the 1930s (see below). In 1937, while Gaffé was involved in the international surrealist scene through the loans of his works for exhibitions in London, health issues caused him to sell part of his cubist and metaphysical collection to the English artist Sir Roland Penrose (1900-1984). Once he had recovered, he resumed his acquisitions and continued to enrich his collection during World War II, working with specialists like Charles Ratton (1897-1986). He also published essays and monographs on Paul Éluard, Paul Delvaux, and Giorgio de Chirico, and tried his hand at the anthropology of art in an essay called La Sculpture au Congo Belge (1945), in which he contributed to a formal reinterpretation of African sculpture – one that freed itself from a strictly ethnological framework (see below). In 1948, Gaffé married dancer Jeanne Labie and began dividing his time between Brussels and their Mediterranean residence, Midi le Juste, located in the hills above Cagnes-sur-Mer in the south of France. He wrote numerous works on modern art and surrealism there. In the 1950s, he began to inventory and to sell part of his collection, notably his Dada and surrealist library in 1956. He then retired to the Midi le Juste estate and kept the rest of the collection until he died in 1968. After his death, it remained intact until the death of his wife and its dispersal at an auction in 2001 in a Parisian art market environment that was undergoing rapid change in the context of the liberalization of the laws pertaining to the French auction market (see first part of this article in Oceanic Art Market). A Personality at the Heart of Surrealist and Dealer Networks One of René Gaffé’s defining characteristics was that he was both a collector and a patron of the arts, and that these two activities were closely linked and intertwined for him. Gaffé moved in avant-garde circles, and particularly in the Dada and Surrealist circles. He acquired a large part of his collection of works of the avant-garde artistic movements of his time directly from the artists that created them. This was also the case for his collection of African and Oceanic art. For example, the poet André Breton did not hesitate to write to the collector when he needed money quickly, offering him items from his own collection. This was the case in October 1930: Breton was in the midst of a divorce and wrote a letter to Gaffé listing several manuscripts he had signed, as well as works and objects from his own collection that he would be willing to sell, indicating their prices. The list included a New Ireland uli figure, which Breton offered him for 13500 French francs. Gaffé kept this figure until his death. A Rapa Nui moai kavakava figure, which remained in Gaffé’s possession throughout his life, also came from Breton’s collection and was acquired from him at an unknown date. The friendship between Breton and Gaffé is evident in the dedication Breton wrote in his novel Le revolver à cheveux blancs, published in 1932: “To René Gaffé, whose active friendship has been of such great help to Surrealism.” This dedication underscores the vital financial role the patron and collector played in the activities of the Surrealist group. Paul Éluard played a similar role for African works. Uli, Northern New Ireland, ancestor figure Soft wood (alstonia), fibers, pigments, fragments of shells (cyprae tigris) and turbo (turbo petholatus) opercula, height: 46 ¾ in. Provenance: - The André Breton collection - Expertise and inventory of the René Gaffé Collection, produced on December 16, 1952 by Charles Ratton, no. 43, with the mention “Ancienne collection Walter Bondy” (“Former Walter Bondy Collection”) Published: - A. Portier and F. Poncetton, Les Arts Sauvages – Océanie, Editions Albert Morancé, 1929, p. XXX, no. 39, full page close up of the head, mentioning “Coll. André Breton”. Rapa Nui (Easter Island), moai kavakava Hard wood (toromiro?), obsidian, bone; height: 15 ¾ in. Bears a number “D35.23-1” painted in white ink at the back of the base. This inscription refers to a loan made to the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro, Paris, in 1935. René Gaffé loaned this object to the Île de Pâques exhibition organized by Alfred Métraux and Henri Lavachery, from June through October 1935. (Archives du Musée de l’Homme library; letter from René Gaffé to Lavachery dated June 17, 1935). Provenance: - The André Breton collection - Expertise and inventory of the René Gaffé Collection, produced on December 16, 1952 by Charles Ratton, no. 48. Published: - Cahiers d’Art, 1929, 4e année, n°2-3, illustrated on p. 108, fig. 171, with the mention “App. A M. André Breton” (“Belongs to Mr. André Breton”) René Gaffé regularly traveled to Paris for events, exhibitions, and sales, where he acquired Oceanic artworks. He was in Paris for the Sculptures d’Afrique, d’Amérique, d’Océanie: collection André Breton et Paul Éluard (Sculptures from Africa, America, and Oceania: the André Breton and Paul Éluard Collection) auction, held at the Hôtel Drouot on July 2 and 3, 1931. This sale was a milestone event in the history of the Parisian Oceanic art market. It brought together 312 lots from the collections of the two poets, which were all sold at once and indiscriminately. The two dealers and specialists in non-European art, Charles Ratton and Louis Carré (1897-1977), were the acting experts for the Bellier auction house. Prior to the sale, a preview exhibition was held at Charles Ratton’s gallery, and the event was actively promoted. The buyers were mainly Parisian collectors and members of avant-garde artistic circles. René Gaffé and the Danish poet, lawyer, collector, and art theorist Carl Kjersmeier (1889-1961) were among the European buyers. Minutes of the historic Breton-Éluard sale, now held in the Archives of the City of Paris (D149E3 6). Gaffé purchased two small Rapa Nui moko miro figures representing lizard men, which were among the most important pieces in this sale: the first was bought for 6200 francs (lot 161) and the second for 3800 francs (lot 162). These two moko miro are reproduced on one of the illustrated plates in the lavishly produced catalog published for the occasion - a marketing innovation in the field of Oceanic art at the time. Gaffé’s acquisitions testify to his financial commitment to the Surrealist movement and to his active participation in the Parisian Oceanic art market. Plate XV from the auction catalog for the Sculptures d’Afrique, d’Amérique, d’Océanie: collection André Breton et Paul Éluard sale, 1931. Center: Moko miro, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Hard wood (toromiro?), obsidian, bone; height: 27”. Provenance: - The Breton-Éluard Collection - Collection André Breton et Paul Éluard auction, July 2 and 3, 1931, Paris, Drouot, Étude Bellier, no. 162, plate XV. - Acquired by René Gaffé at this sale for the sum of 6200 francs, according to the buyer’s notes in his copy of the sale catalogue. - Expertise and inventory of the René Gaffé Collection established by Charles Ratton, December 16, 1952, no. 46. Right: Moko miro, (Rapa Nui) Easter Island Hard wood (toromiro?), mica; height: 22 ½”. Bears the number “D.35.23-2”painted in white at the back of the base. The inscription refers to a loan made to the Musée Ethnographique du Trocadéro, Paris, in 1935. René Gaffé loaned the object to the Ile de Pâques exhibition organized by Alfred Métraux and Henri Lavachery, from June through October of 1935. (Archives of the Musée de l’homme library; letter from René Gaffé to Lavachery dated June 17, 1935). Provenance: - The Breton-Éluard Collection - Collection André Breton et Paul Éluard auction, July 2 and 3, 1931, Paris, Drouot, Étude Bellier, no. 161, plate XV. - Acquired by René Gaffé at this sale for the sum of 2800 francs, according to the buyer’s notes in his copy of the sale catalogue. - Expertise and inventory of the René Gaffé Collection established by Charles Ratton, December 16, 1952, no. 47. Exhibition: - Presented at Tableaux de Man Ray et Objets des Îles, the first exhibition at the Galerie Surréaliste, 16 rue Jacques Callot, Paris, March 26 - April 10, 1926; reproduced as pl. 2, no. 56, with the mention “Collection A.B.”, and no. 57 with the mention “Collection P.E.” Reproduced: - Cahiers d’Art, 1929, 4th year, no. 2-3, reproduced p. 108, plate 172, with the mention “App. à M. André Breton” (“Belongs to Mr. André Breton”). In addition to the public sales, Gaffé frequented Parisian dealers active in the field of Oceanic art and in the promotion of avant-garde artistic movements, a reflection of his own interests and collections. Louis Carré and Pierre Loeb (1897-1964) were among the dealers who were close to Gaffé. He was also a client of Charles Ratton, with whom he had a strong relationship of trust and mutual respect. Throughout his life, Gaffé gladly loaned works for exhibitions and made his collection accessible to the public. In 1935, he loaned one of the moko miro figures he acquired at the Breton-Éluard sale to the Musée d'Ethnographie du Trocadéro in Paris for the Île de Pâques - Exposition de la mission Franco-Belge en Océanie (Easter Island - Exhibition of the Franco-Belgian Mission to Oceania) exhibition, which focused on the expedition to the island led by Alfred Métraux (1902-1963) and Henri Lavachery (1885-1972). On several occasions, notably when he left Belgium in the 1950s, Gaffé attempted to sell pieces from his collection to Belgian museums. However, due to a failure to arrive at a financial agreement, none of them appear to have been incorporated into a public collection there. André Breton and Paul Éluard acted as advisors to Gaffé for his collection. As a result, it reflects the Surrealists’ affinities and tastes for certain Oceanic areas, particularly New Ireland and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). On the surrealist map of the world, published in the Belgian magazine Variétés in 1929, the Bismarck Archipelago (of which New Ireland is a part) is enlarged and placed at the center of the map. Rapa Nui, a volcanic island some 60 square miles in size, is also grossly enlarged, while Western Europe is greatly reduced in size on the outer left. Le monde au temps des surréalistes (The World at the Time of the Surrealists) in: Variétés (Brussels, special issue: Surréalisme) 1929, 26-27. It would however be a mistake to say that the Gaffé collection was purely a reflection of surrealist trends. It was in fact very diverse and illustrated the unique taste of the man who put it together. It bears witness to the transnational networks to which the collector belonged, first in Belgium, then in France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States. As a collector who lived in Belgium for most of his life, René Gaffé collected a large number of Congolese art objects, which were widely available on the Belgian market in Brussels and Antwerp due to Belgium’s colonial history. Gaffé wrote extensively on this subject and developed a unique theoretical approach to Congolese art. His book Sculpture du Congo Belge (1945) highlights Gaffé’s interest in the formal dimension of African and Oceanic art, the creative act, and individual creativity. Gaffé – Theoretician and Critic Published in 1945, La Sculpture du Congo Belge (Sculpture of the Belgian Congo) is a reflection of Gaffé’s desire to situate Congolese artworks in a universal history of art, and to break with the strictly ethnographic interpretation of African sculpture that prevailed at the time. Inspired by the European avant-garde, Gaffé advocated an aesthetic and formalist approach: he selected works for their sculptural qualities, established stylistic typologies, and attempted to identify true “masterpieces” in order to demonstrate that Congolese art could rival all the other great sculptural traditions of the world. His discourse did however remain permeated by certain colonial misrepresentations, notably the idea of a fixed African tradition and a natural “primitivism,” which revealed a tension between his aesthetic admiration and the biases of his European perspective. Cover of La Sculpture au Congo Belge, 1945 One of Gaffé's most significant and groundbreaking contributions was his recognition of African artists as creators in their own right, capable of innovation and individual stylistic choices. In opposition to a vision of a collective and anonymous art, he affirmed the existence of a dialectic between community tradition and personal expression, thus echoing the reflections of his contemporary Frans M. Olbrechts (1899-1958). His approach, focused on the artwork’s sculptural value rather than on its surrealist or cultural dimensions, reflects a deeply aesthetic interest in Congolese sculpture. Gaffé’s collection and writings thus bear witness to a unique position he occupied at the crossroads of surrealism, the Belgian colonial market, and an intellectual quest to understand the act of creation. His work is an essential milestone in the history of the 20th century view of non-European art. In December 2001, more than three decades after René Gaffé’s death, his collection was dispersed in Paris, at a time when the French auction market was being rocked by change. This event marked the rediscovery of Gaffé’s enlightened taste and a turning point in the recognition of Oceanic art: for the first time in France, objects from this region of the world fetched millions at auction. The sale was both a culmination and a starting point, and it opened a new era in the history of non-Western art collecting and in the perception of who Gaffé was. See the first part of this article posted in the Oceanic Art Market section to learn more about this auction, its significance, and the collector’s legacy. Picture Credits and Copyrights Fig. 1: David Sylvester: René Magritte, catalogue raisonné, Antwerp, Fonds Mercator / Menil Foundation, 1992-1997, vol. 2, 300, n° 506. © Photothèque R. Magritte / Adagp Images, Paris, 2022 Fig. 2: © Artkhade Fig. 3: © Artkhade Fig. 4: © Tamara Schild Fig. 5: © Étude Bellier Fig. 6: © Revue Variétés Fig. 7: René Gaffé: La Sculpture au Congo belge, Brussels / Paris, Editions du Cercle d’Art, 1945.
