Artcurial to Offer Van Dongen Portrait of Brigitte Bardot, Hidden for 60 Years, Est. €800,000–1.2M
Artcurial will auction a 1959 portrait of Brigitte Bardot by Kees Van Dongen on October 24, 2026, estimated at €800,000–1,200,000. The large-format oil on canvas (130 x 97 cm), set against a characteristic yellow background, has been kept out of public view for more than sixty years in the artist's studio and comes directly from his estate. The auction will also include 18 additional works by Van Dongen from the same estate. The portrait, titled 'B.B. with Ostrich Eyes,' was painted during a sitting arranged by Maurice Chevalier on September 12, 1959, and was later used for the poster and catalogue of the 1964 Salon des peintres témoins de leur temps at the Musée Galliera.
The Signal
The reappearance of this portrait represents a significant rediscovery for the market, combining impeccable provenance, a universally recognized sitter, and a singular place in French cultural history. The work documents the meeting of two 20th-century icons: Van Dongen, the celebrated portraitist of Parisian high society, and Bardot, the embodiment of modern femininity and international stardom. For collectors, the opportunity to acquire a major Van Dongen from his estate—with a direct lineage and a storied exhibition history—offers rare value, especially given the artist's enduring appeal among connoisseurs of modern portraiture.
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