The Facts
Aguttes will auction the Nancy Varenne-Brunot collection in Neuilly-sur-Seine on October 27, 2026. The 18-lot sale spans 50 years of contemporary art, from Arman's New Realism to Gérard Schlosser's narrative figuration, Jean Fautrier's abstraction and Jean-Pierre Raynaud's conceptual works. Highlights include Fautrier's 1942 bronze 'Grande Tête Tragique,' Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 'Le Pont Neuf Wrapped, Project for Paris, 1985,' and Raynaud's paired steles. Public viewing runs October 23–27, 2026. Aguttes previously set a world record for Huang Yong Ping in 2020, selling a monumental five-turtle installation from the same collection for €411,920.
The Signal
The sale highlights a collecting philosophy shaped by instinct rather than speculation: Varenne-Brunot bought to live with works, and artists often installed them in her Paris and Barbizon homes. Her brother, dealer Daniel Varenne, introduced her to Christo, linking the collection to postwar market history. For buyers, the auction offers provenance and, in the case of Schlosser, access to an artist seeing renewed international demand. Aguttes' earlier record for Huang Yong Ping from this collection suggests private, emotionally driven collections can command strong resale prices.
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- Artists: Arman, Gérard Schlosser, Jean Fautrier, Jean-Pierre Raynaud, Christo, Jeanne-Claude, Fan Xiaoyan, Huang Yong Ping, Manet
- People: Nancy Varenne-Brunot, Ophélie Guillerot, Daniel Varenne, François Brunot
- Auction Houses: Aguttes
- Locations: Neuilly-sur-Seine
- Prices: €411,920
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