The Guerlain Foundation winds down: the Salon du dessin pays tribute to thirty years of commitment to contemporary drawing
Florence and Daniel Guerlain have announced the dissolution of their contemporary art Foundation, whose patrimony passes to the Musée national d’art moderne – Centre Pompidou, to be dedicated to the acquisition of works on paper by living artists.
For close to thirty years, the couple worked to win recognition for contemporary drawing – and the prize they awarded each year was among the highlights of the Salon du dessin.
Thirty years of commitment to contemporary drawing
When they founded their Foundation in 1996 at Les Mesnuls, contemporary drawing did not yet enjoy the recognition it holds today. For thirty years, they worked to ensure that the market and museums alike would see it differently. Bringing together works by more than two hundred artists of some thirty nationalities, their collection became the most important private holding of contemporary drawings in France.
The contemporary drawing prize,
a highlight of the Salon du dessin
Since the creation of their Prix de dessin contemporain in 2006, they brought sixty international artists into the spotlight, all working on paper, and celebrated nineteen laureates.
From 2010, their stand at the Salon du dessin was always eagerly awaited at every edition: it presented the works of the three nominated artists and drew together a community of international collectors. Each year, the announcement of the laureate and the award ceremony made for a particularly anticipated moment. In 2026, it was the artist Renie Spoelstra who received this nineteenth and final distinction.
A collection that travels on
In 2012, their personal donation of 1,200 drawings to the Centre Pompidou set those works travelling – to Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Austria and Russia. The collection now heads to Riga, then Malaga. It will keep moving.
The Salon du dessin expresses its deepest gratitude. Precursors in their vision and pioneers in their commitment, Florence and Daniel Guerlain have championed a certain idea of drawing — that “gesture which binds the soul to the hand” — perhaps the most intimate and authentic form of expression there is.
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Catalogue of the 2026 Salon du dessin
Browse the catalogue of the 34th edition of the Salon du Dessin, which took place from 25 to 30 March 2026 at the Palais Brongniart.
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A Look at the Stand of the Musée d’art moderne André Malraux (MuMa – Le Havre)
A look at the stand of the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art (MuMa – Le Havre), guest of honour at the 2026 Salon du Dessin, which is exhibiting thirty-six works from its collection
Renie Spoelstra, winner of the 2026 Guerlain Prize
The Daniel & Florence Guerlain Contemporary Art Foundation’s 2026 Drawing Prize was awarded to the artist Renie Spoelstra on Thursday 26 March at the Salon du Dessin.
The return of anonymous drawings at the Salon du Dessin
The Salon du Dessin is reviving an earlier tradition by dedicating a space to drawings whose authors have not yet been identified by the exhibitor presenting them.
Pierre Rosenberg signs at the Salon du Dessin
The Librairie du Louvre invites Pierre Rosenberg to its stand at the Salon du Dessin to sign copies of his latest book: “Nicolas Poussin: A Catalogue Raisonné of His Paintings”, on Thursday 26 March at 6pm, during the late-night opening. Don’t wait to discover the full selection of books, special…
Talk : “The Art of Drawing: Creative Processes”
This year at the Salon du dessin, Citadelles & Mazenod is hosting a lecture on the book “The Art of Drawing: Creative Processes”, attended by its author Éric Pagliano and moderated by Guy Boyer, editor-in-chief of Connaissance des Arts, on Thursday 26 March, at 7pm.
Drawing Week: registration is now open
The 26th Drawing Week invites you to more than fifteen museums and institutions for private tours of exhibitions and graphic art collections.
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