The Prix de La Commission Biennale 2019 was awarded to Kent Antiques, for an important Talismanic Shirt (Jama), with Qu’anic Verses and Shia, Protective Prayers Giving the Names of the Twelve Imams, North India or the Deccan, 17th Century

La Biennale de Paris which now takes place every year, was a light affair with some good finds and a very sad news. It ends on Tuesday after only five days: the only traditional French 18 th century antique dealer was Steinitz with a very exceptional mirror (ca 1720) which belonged to Elisabeth Charlotte d’Orléans, duchesse de Lorraine and should soon return to Château de Lunéville., the Versailles of Lorraine. Steinitz has now moved to spectacular premises on 6 rue Royale.

Benjamin Steinitz with the mirror of the Duchesse de Lorraine

Claude Bernard had a huge stand devoted to Sam Szafran, his long time friend who passed away on Saturday, September 14. His large canvases are the attraction of the Biennale and the last ones to be painted. The genius artist had two main themes of painting in his life, staircases and  philodendrons, which he first painted in Claude Bernard’s house near Tours. Daniel Marchesseau had curated a large retrospective of his work in Martigny in 2012 and  his latest philodendrons were shown in Chaumont sur Loire, in 2017.

Claude Bernard’s gallery had one of the largest spaces devoted to Sam Szafran who died during the Biennale

This historical gallerist, a close friend of Francis Bacon and of so many major artists, is preparing a solo show of Barcelona painter Luis Marsans at Propriété Caillebotte on September 19. It was the place to be and chat where every visitor of the Biennale stopped for a piece of conversation. Sadly, Szafran will never develop his art again.

Sam Szafran, Unittled, 2019. Watercolor and pastel on carton, photo, Jean-Louis Losi

Huguette Bérès showed an especially beautiful blue painting by Olivier Debré (220 000€) who has his own museum in Tours. This gallery on quai Voltaire always sells exceptional works by Vieira da Silva and other favorite artists and is now run by her daughter Anisabelle. 

At Huguette Bérès, a large painting by Oliver Debré

An object of curiosity was a large decorated safe manufactured by F.Wertheim in Vienna in 1860. It is exhibited at Kunstberatung. On its door you can find an engraving of a huge fire which does not destroy the safe, to show how indestructible it is. It would be interesting to find out what treasures it kept over the centuries?

A safe made in Vienna and decorated inside in 1860

La Biennale de Paris until Tuesday September 17, at Grand Palais