Terrifying story of Paul Guillaume

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Field Name Guillaumont (1981-1934) should be familiar to anyone who visited the magnificent Paris Orangerie Museum - in fact one wing of the museum holds its collection (both of which were specially equipped for the later works of Claude Monet).

Among the galaxy of famous French Marchand first half of the twentieth century, Paul Guillaume, the most mysterious figure. In our story about his collection of art history is closely intertwined with the heads of the black novel, as though he were writing together, say, Malcolm G. and Raymond Chandler!

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Even his biography is not quite clear - there are several versions. On one of them, Paul Guillaume, who came from a modest family, worked as a salesman in a car garage. One day he accidentally discovered a box of Negro sculpture, which the owner of the garage had been sent from Africa. The sculptures are very pleased with him, and he put them in the window of the garage. Accidentally passing by Guillaume Apollinaire met amateur "pristine" art and took him under his wing. Soon after Paul Guillaume was a small collection of African sculpture, and began to acquire works by contemporary artists in Paris. Thus he became acquainted with Matisse, Picasso, Derain, Chirico, Modigliani (1914 to 1916 William was his only customer), Soutine ...

According to another version, he was art critic, but with Apollinaire Cyrano met in a cafe where I was going to the surrealists, and join it to the Negro Art, the first examples of which he saw with his washerwoman - her son lived in the colonies and the mother sent the gifts. Apollinaire, in turn, brought him into the circle of young artists.

But be that as it may, and Guillaume Apollinaire and friends. First, at the suggestion Apolinera Guillaume began working on his dealer, and later, in April 1914. opened his first gallery on the street. De Miromesnil, among other things, an exhibition of Larionov and Goncharova. During the war he reformed the state of health, allowing him to continue his activities. At first, in the studio on the street Villiers, and then in the gallery on the Rue St. Honore, he organized the exhibition, attracting fans of new ideas in art (exhibition in 1916, Derain, Matisse, Picasso in 1918) and published the magazine "Art in Paris" . After the war he opened a new gallery specializing in African art. Gradually, he made himself a solid reputation - Modigliani, even nicknamed him "The new helmsman"

"It's a little pudgy little man, he is always in a good mood, always cheerful; his clothes is an unimaginable mix of various styles, united by only one - a luxury: beautiful woolen socks, they shine patent leather shoes, which are a normal person would wear except for a wedding, shirt of the finest silk, sporting a tie ... "- so described him Maurice Sachs.

In 1923, William, who moved to this time in the room on the streets of La Boesen - while it was a dream of any gallery owner, her best-placed ones, met with an amazing man who transformed his life - Dr. Barnes.

American ophthalmologist Alfred Barnes (1874-1950) invented the eye drops, which brought him an enormous fortune. Arriving in France for the first time shortly before the First World War, he bought the work for its collection from Vollard and Durand-Ruelle. I must say, the relationship with Durand-Ruelle had been better, so that he often bought from Vollard through Durand-Ruelle.
In 1922, Dr. Barnes, who had just founded his fund with a capital of 6 million dollars and handed it to my collection of contemporary French painting, which Guillaume at approximately the same amount again arrived in Paris.
According to Max Jacob, "the gallery Guillaume Barnes went to take shelter from the rain." Arisen between them, relations argue that the success of Marchand's sometimes enough to a single buyer. Barnes was an inveterate client Guillaume, just at this time discovered a new artist - Chaim Soutine:

"One day they came to someone in the studio to see works by Modigliani, I saw a picture in the corner. This picture immediately brought me to a complete delight. Its author was Soutine, and it showed a confectioner - unimaginable, fascinating, totally real, luxury confectioner, the owner of a gigantic and magnificent, incredible and totally accurate ear, and it was a masterpiece, and I bought it. Dr. Barnes saw it with me: "But it's phenomenal!" - He exclaimed. Admiration, immediately seized him when he saw the canvas, sealed the fate of Soutine - from day to day he became a famous painter, now art lovers hunting for his canvases, sneers behind us - he became a hero of Montparnasse ".

This collaboration between gallery owner and collector lasted until 1928, in particular, Guillaume collected for the fund Barnes significant collection of African art. In 1926 William visited the Foundation - Hall № 14 named after him. Seeing the collection of his friend, William decided to follow his example and make a collection, which will subsequently be transferred to the fund or a museum.

Within two years meeting with Guillaume was a triumphal success shown by Bernheim. It consisted of six Cezanne, 15 by Renoir, Rousseau, eight, 17 Matisse, 18 by Modigliani, Soutine, nine, twelve, Utrillo, and more than thirty Derain.

"Nowadays, nobody, even the most naive and ignorant people can not claim that between" art dealer "and" a lover of beauty "is still worth an impenetrable wall. The only serious, it is not intended for sale, can now be considered only a collection of several major Marchand. All others, with very few exceptions these meetings amateurs - just cute jokes "- Guillaume wrote in his journal.

Here. All of the above could write Malcolm Gee, now take an example from Chandler.
 

So: Once there was devuschka named Juliette Lyakaz. She arrived in Paris from the provincial town Milo and went to work for a store to shop gloves. That would be about her and no one knew if the 1920 Paul Guillaume fell in love with her and married her. He renamed it to Domenico - it was much more romantic. Under the new name, she shone in the light and broke many hearts.

In 1932, she met with the architect Jacques Walter and became his mistress. But William did not get angry. On the contrary, he made friends with the new elect his wife. Eventually all three moved together in a huge apartment, Walter, also a very wealthy man, who died from his wife and three children.

In 1934 at the Paul Guillaume suffered a bout of appendicitis. Juliette Domenica has brought him to the hospital very late when he has already begun peritonitis, and he died on the operating table from the general blood poisoning - evil tongues said that she had to wait a long time that Guillaume had reached the desired state.

I must say that William left a will, which, if they Domenico is not a common child, his entire collection was to go to the State, subject nevertheless, that the lifelong use of the collection will be his wife, who even be able to sell the painting for maintain their standard of living.

And immediately after his death Domenica pretended pregnant. Having secured a false medical certificate, she has appeared everywhere in dresses for pregnant women with a cushion under the breast (Empire style!), And when the time came, I bought myself a baby born November 30, 1934 Birth certificate drawn up on the baby name Jean-Pierre Guillaume.

Having obtained the collection in use, it has begun selling its affiliated work, in particular, the period of Picasso's cubism. It is fair to point out that it has acquired works by artists of the preceding period - Cézanne, Gauguin, Renoir, Monet, Sisley.

In 1941 he and Walter, who was even richer Guillaume, they say, legalized their relationship. At the insistence of Walter was finally decorated and act on adoption of the child.

In 1957, when a couple Walter and new friend loving Domenica, doctor-homeopath Maurice Lyakur (ominous detail: his thesis was devoted to poisoning), emerged from a restaurant in a suburb of Paris, Jean Walter hit by a car. Domenica banned call an ambulance, explaining that they themselves will be taken Lyakurom Walter to the hospital. When they got there before her, Walter was already dead.

Do I have to say that this man, too, left her a vast fortune?

However, cloudless enjoy their happy Planida it interfered once bought by Jean-Pierre - because as an adult, he could claim your inheritance!

Time passed. The boy grew up, was mobilized, fought in Algeria ...

In early 1958 g.on walking down the street when a man approached him, saying that his name is Camille Reyon commandant, and that the doctor Lyakur hired him, that he had killed him. Homeopath decided to play on patriotic vein commandant Reyona: that he was sent on a secret mission to destroy a spy and saboteur, an enemy of France. Reyon However, after watching his target, sensed something was wrong and decided to warn Jean-Pierre, as he feared that if he refused, the customer finds the murder of another artist. In the end they decided that Jean-Paul somewhere escapes, and the commandant Reyon receive his reward, and then go to the police and confessed everything, so they did. Doctors Lyakura arrested, but the court decided that criminal intent had not been realized, and therefore, and not judge him for that. Lyakur released from prison.

Adventures of Jean-Pierre were not over: once he met a girl named Mayte, she said, hairdresser, but in reality - a prostitute hired tireless and resourceful Domenico: she had to convey to the police that Jean-Pierre - her pimp . A man convicted of pimping, life would lose rights to inheritance. There. At trial lzheparikmahersha admitted that it bribed Charles Lyakaz, brother Domenico. The scandal has turned out epic - all the newspapers only about him and wrote ...

And finally, the last step of our play: in 1959 and 1963. signed two agreements on which the Ministry of Culture redeemed collection - 146 works, including two by Renoir, 12 by Picasso, 15 by Cezanne, 10 Matisse, 29 Derain, Soutine ... 22
Domenica Guillaume-Walter retained life user rights, so that by the end of her life surrounded by loved paintings. Negotiations with the double widow led Andre Malraux - Minister of Culture at that time. The collection passed to the State on the condition that it is not "will spray" for various museums and to expose all in one place. Podalyayuschee most historians of this period is confident that Malraux suggested that the widow to sell the collection at reasonable prices in exchange for a promise to hush up the scandal with attempts to resolve the heir.

According to a former museum conservator Orangerie, Pierre Zhorzhelya Ministry purchased, not all paintings, made up the collection - the widow remained at least a dozen Utrillo, portraits of Guillaume's work Derain and Modigliani, "Mount Sainte-Victoire" by Cezanne, "Gabrielle with Rose" by Renoir, about thirty Derain, 20 Laurence and the same Fotrie ...

Illustrations:

1 Marie Laurence, a portrait of Madame Paul Guillaume
2 Andre Derain, a portrait of Madame Paul Guillaume
3 Andre Derain, a portrait of Paul Guillaume
4-5-6 Amadeo Modigliani, a portrait of Paul Guillaume
7 Kees van Dongen portrait of Paul Guillaume
8 Giorgio de Chirico, a portrait of Paul Guillaume

Portrait of Guillaume Soutine, have unfortunately, in nete not found.