Fondation de l'Hermitage - Trésors de la Fondation des Treilles - Arp, Brauner, Ernst, Picasso, Takis...
The Fondation de l'Hermitage is presenting one of the most significant collections of Surrealist Art of France as the heritage of Anne Gruner Schlumberger
Before the exhibition of the Fondation de l'Hermitage in Lausanne (Switzerland), Anne Gruner Schlumberger was quite unknown in Switzerland. She's not a famous name, figure or a model of an artist or a public personality from Switzerland or France (her home country). But, if you ask to an art enthusiast if he knows the Menil Collection in Houston, they will probably say yes.
Thus, Dominique de Menil was the sister of Anne Gruner Schlumberger. With this exhibition, focusing only on the collection of the Fondation, she created, the Fondation des Treilles, the Hermitage is showcasing well-known oeuvre of her collection while trying to make link to her sister and the art philanthropy of her family.
Later on in her life, Anne will be married to Henri George Doll, who will travel extensively in Mexico, Russia and New York due to his father oil company and her important act of kindness and philanthropy in art and science. After her divorce, she will settle in France and create the Fondation des Treilles to put in deposit a part of her personal art collection as well as creating one of the first private cultural institution of France, just a after the Fondation Maeght.
How did she become the personification
of the Fondation des Treilles?
For her first presentation in Switzerland, the curators of the Fondation de l'Hermitage had to do some complex choices to fit in most of the greatest works of the collection while telling the story and relation they had with Anne Gruner Schlumberger.
FOCUS - Max Ernst
The artist, which is one of the key members and founder of the surrealist movement is one of the most important artists of the collection of Anne Gruner Schlumberger. While the German artist was firstly influenced by the Dada, his path will be open to new genre and collaboration with André Breton, Hans Arp and even Salvador Dalì with the surrealist circle, which started out after his move to Paris in the 1920s.
While the oeuvre of Ernst cover a wide range of mediums such as paintings, drawings and sculptures, her collection mainly focus on 2d elements such as a full room dedicated to his drawings and two rooms dedicated to his painting, showcasing the full spectrum of his oeuvre.
Even more when Ernst is in perpetual research of new forms and techniques to create his oeuvre. From taking inspiration into dreams, nightmares, natures and popular story such as Alice and the Wonderland, you can see how his imaginary of populated by imaginary creatures.
This all stop after the Second World War, In which the artist was interned by the Nazis and then, like many of his friends, moved to New York. The is where he meets Anne Gruner Schlumberger, who would become his patron and friend. They will regularly meet, in New York or in France.
Together with the twenty paintings and drawings in the collection, they testify not only to the long friendship that unites the artist and the collector, but also to a common taste for textured materials and patterns.
FOCUS - Victor Brauner
The world and creatures of the Romanian origin artist Victor Brauner are showcased in the second floor of the building. Thus, the artist uses classical subjects and familiar faces while transforming It into hybrid creatures, between text, colors and abstraction.
While the artist was unaware of the surrealist movement, he discovered it in 1925 after a trip to Paris and five years later when he meets André Breton and adheres to the movement.
Nonetheless, this adhesion was not so calm, due to a violent dispute between the painters Óscar Domínguez and Esteban Francés. Brauner left his left eye after intervening in this violent dispute. The lost of vision help him to create only 2D works.
The story is not over, while many of his friends espace the country due to the war, Victor Brauner was Jewish. He will try to espace the navy by setting himself in the Hautes-Alpes, near the village of Rousset. But, with the lack of materials and surrounded by nature, he will start to use beeswax, wax which he finds in abundance in the hives of the neighborhood.
Now, back to New York. While Anne Gruner Schlumberger and Victor Brauner meet in the 1950s due to the gallery of Alexandre Lolas, a gallery owner of Greek origin living in New York. Thus, the two sisters (Anne Gruner Schlumberger and Dominique de Menil) shop there regularly to add pieces to their upcoming museums.
Between the continent
And, while the gallery and Anne Gruner Schlumberger had frequent letters and an importance correspondence, Brauner decided to show them his incredible collection of African art objects, which he started out in the 1950s.
This all lead to the same interest for Anne Gruner Schlumberger's collection to non-European creations. Thus, in 1989, she acquired various masks, poles, African throwing knives, and a Sénoufo bed from the Ivory Coast with lines of rare purity.
Thus, the collection of the Fondation des Treilles is playing with this link between the continents, the artists and their internal recognition for something non-classical at the time. The object, are just forms, textures and structures and not treated as a museum's object, which is left without any story of links to his inspiration.
Informations about the exhibition
Place: Fondation de l'Hermitage
Date: 21.1.2022 – 29.5.2022
Curators: Sylvie Wuhrmann & Marie-Paule Vial
Ticket: Available online OR at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the Fondation de l'Hermitage
Route du Signal 2
CH-1018 Lausanne
Phone: +41 21 320 50 01