Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Portrait of Mademoiselle Irène Cahen d’Anvers (La petite Irène), 1880 © SIK-ISEA, Zurich (J.-P. Kuhn)

What is fascinating in a private collection is to discover the taste of the owner. In the case of Emil Bührle’s fascinating acquisitions, one is overwhelmed by the quality of each painting. And seeing them in the intimate premises of Musée Maillol on rue de Grenelle, is a bonus. Fifty seven masterpieces are lent by the Bührle Foundation, while the Kunsthaus Zürich is getting ready to host the collection of over 200 works, bought between 1936 an 1956.

Edouard Manet, Un Coin du jardin de Bellevue, 1880, © SIK-ISEA, Zurich (J.-P. Kuhn)

The are six beautiful Van Gogh, four Cézanne, a whole room of Toulouse Lautrec a couple of Picasso. Impressionists, Gai Paris 1900, Nabis, postimpressionists and modern art  form a very harmonious show on two stories. Of course the dates of acquisitions (during the war and Nazi occupation) can make one suspicious but Bührle cooperated with the administration in 1945 and gave back all spoliated goods, or bought themagain from the previous owners.

Henri Fantin-Latour, Pivoines et pêches, 1873, Legs Dr Dieter Bührle, Collection Emil Bührle, Zurich

Emil Georg Bührle  (1890-1956) discovered Impressionists at the National galerie in Berlin. After marrying Charlotte Schalk, whose father was a rich banker,  he works for a German factory where weapons are secretly manufactured in Switzerland, from 1924 onwards. He will remain in the country and settle near Zürich in 1927 eventually becoming a Swiss citizen. During the war, he delivers weapons to Germany, makes huge amounts of money and buys 76 paintings in Switzerland and five from Wildenstein in Paris.

Camille Pissarro, Route de Versailles, Louveciennes, snow, 1870, Collection Emil Bührle, Zurich

In 1945, he is summoned to return 13 “spoliated” paintings stolen in France by the Nazis. He collaborates with the authorities and buys some works back from the families like Paul Rosenberg. An interesting part of the show is a wall with the correspondance of Rosenberg and Bührle and a picture of all the works restituted to heir owners after the war.

Camille Corot, La Liseuse, 1845-50, Collection Emil Bührle, Zurich

He will keep buying heavily after the war and is one of the rare acquirer of Monet’s Nympheas left in Giverny. His widow created a Foundation with their two children which was, until now, housed in a villa in Winterthur. In 2008, four paintings, a Degas, a Monet, a Van Gogh ad a Cézanne were stolen (later found and returned)  and for security reasons, the family decided to house the collection at the Zürich Kunsthaus for the future.

Vincent van Gogh, Les Ponts d’Asnières, 1887, Collection Emil Bührle, Zurich © SIK-ISEA, Zurich (J.-P. Kuhn)

There are a few old paintings, like a large and exceptional Aelbert Cuyp , “Storm over Dordrecht”, a very rare Corot “La liseuse” (the reader),  and a superb Guardi of Venice.

This is an easy show to like with an interesting historical dimension. Until July 21, Musée Maillol, 59/61 rue de Grenelle.