Secret French Modern Art Collection Revealed at Drouot Auction House with Giacometti, Miró, Picasso Works

A previously unknown collection of modern art, assembled by a French couple from the 1970s to 2000s, will be auctioned at Hôtel Drouot in Paris on June 5, 2026. The collection features 50 works, including eight sculptural furniture pieces by Diego Giacometti commissioned directly by the collectors, who maintained a long-term friendship with the artist. Highlights include Giacometti's "Feuilles aux oiseaux et aux grenouilles" table (est. €400,000-600,000), "La Promenade des amis" console (est. €2-2.5 million), and "Chat maître d'hôtel" (est. €120,000-150,000). Two rare Joan Miró gouaches from 1937-1938, acquired via Galerie Lelong and Pierre Matisse Gallery, are estimated between €200,000-350,000. The sale also includes works by Pablo Picasso (six ceramics), Jean-Paul Riopelle (a painting), Richard Serra (a 2006 drawing), Balthus, and Auguste Herbin. The collection was discovered during an inventory of Picasso ceramics requested by the collectors' grandchildren, revealing Giacometti pieces casually placed among household items. A free public exhibition will be held at Hôtel Drouot from May 30 to June 4, 2026, before the auction. Auctioneer Nicolas Couvrand described it as "a total rediscovery" and an event proving significant collections can be sold at Drouot. This marks the first major Paris sale of Diego Giacometti works since the 2017 Hubert de Givenchy collection at Christie's, where a similar console sold for €9.5 million in 2024.