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VARI-ARTS: From Dada to Surrealism, Art Archives at Auction
From Picasso to Man Ray, from the historic avant-garde movements to the galleries of Paris: a journey through the artistic memory of the 20th century.
On 19 November 2026, Expertisez Enchères presents VARI-ARTS, an online auction dedicated to the documents, publications, archives and photographs that accompanied the major artistic and cultural movements of the 20th century.
Exhibition catalogues, invitation cards, posters, art journals, brochures, photographs and period publications form a remarkable collection reflecting the creative energy of an extraordinary era.
Art history is not written solely through paintings and sculptures. It is also told through these often ephemeral documents, created to announce an exhibition, promote an artistic manifesto, introduce an artist or commemorate a cultural event.
VARI-ARTS — Online Auction
Thursday, 19 November 2026 at 2:00 PM (Paris time)
Online auction
Expertisez Enchères
When Archives Tell the Story of Art
An invitation to an exhibition opening, a catalogue printed in a limited edition, a gallery leaflet or an exhibition poster may appear modest at first glance.
Yet these documents are invaluable witnesses to their time.
They reveal where artists exhibited, the personalities who supported them, the movements they belonged to and the networks that contributed to their recognition.
VARI-ARTS invites collectors to discover art history through its printed traces.
The auction brings together artistic and cultural documentation covering painting, literature, photography, cinema, graphic arts and the performing arts.
From Dada to Surrealism: The Spirit of the Avant-Garde
The 20th century witnessed profound artistic transformations.
With Dada and later Surrealism, artists and writers challenged established aesthetic conventions, traditional forms of creation and the boundaries between artistic disciplines.
Manifestos, magazines, leaflets, publications and exhibition documents played an essential role in spreading new artistic ideas.
Around figures such as Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, André Breton and Marcel Duchamp, printed material became a means of artistic expression and communication, sometimes even an artwork in its own right.
These documentary traces help us understand the exchanges between painting, photography, poetry, literature and visual experimentation.
VARI-ARTS explores this fascinating history, in which printed documents become essential witnesses to artistic innovation.
Asger Jorn and CoBrA: Parisian Galleries and the Avant-Garde
Among the documents offered at auction is an original exhibition leaflet relating to Asger Jorn (1914–1973), presented at Galerie Rive Gauche in Paris in 1960.
A Danish artist and co-founder of the CoBrA movement, Jorn played a significant role in the development of post-war European painting.
His work, characterised by spontaneous gestures, experimentation and expressive freedom, reflects the artistic renewal of the period.
This original exhibition leaflet also illustrates the essential role played by Parisian galleries in promoting avant-garde artists and new artistic movements.
Asger Jorn — Galerie Rive Gauche, Paris, 1960
Original exhibition leaflet, printed by Gil.
Dimensions: 27 × 21 cm.
Estimate: €60–110
Exhibition Catalogues, Posters and Photography: A Different Way of Collecting Art
Collecting artistic documents also means exploring how artworks were presented, exhibited and received by the public.
An exhibition catalogue places an artist within a specific moment of their career. A poster preserves the memory of an event. A photograph may document a personality, a location or an artistic occasion.
These objects have historical, documentary, graphic and sometimes bibliographical significance.
Their collecting interest depends on several factors, including age, rarity, condition, provenance and their importance within the history of an artist or artistic movement.
For collectors, they offer the opportunity to build thematic collections dedicated to a particular artist, gallery, historical period or artistic movement.
The Auctioneer's Perspective
What makes this auction particularly interesting is the opportunity to approach art history from a different perspective.
Behind a simple invitation, catalogue or poster, there may be an important moment in the history of artistic creation.
These documents were originally designed to circulate, to be distributed, consulted and sometimes discarded.
Their preservation now allows us to rediscover the history of exhibitions, artists and movements that shaped their time.
With VARI-ARTS, we also wish to emphasise that collecting is not limited to traditional artworks. It may begin with a passion for archives, photography, printed material or cultural history.
Élodie Couturier
Auctioneer — Expertisez Enchères
An Auction for Collectors and Art History Enthusiasts
Through the diversity of its documents and artistic disciplines, VARI-ARTS appeals to experienced collectors as well as enthusiasts wishing to discover an original field of collecting.
Art historians, researchers, bibliophiles, archivists, photography enthusiasts and curious collectors alike will find material relating to artistic creation and its dissemination.
The auction offers an opportunity to rediscover documents which, beyond their original purpose, contribute to the cultural memory of the 20th century.
VARI-ARTS: Auction Information
Date: Thursday, 19 November 2026 at 2:00 PM (Paris time)
Auction format: Online auction
Auction house: Expertisez Enchères
Auctioneer: Élodie Couturier
Viewing: By appointment
Address: 14 rue Chauveau-Lagarde, 75008 Paris, France
Buyer's premium: 30% including VAT
Contact: contact@expertisez.com