Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's… Read more

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIMONE AND JEAN TIROCHE Jean Tiroche was born in Poland in 1925. At the age of three, he moved with his family to France. In his teens he began working as an apprentice to his father, a cabinetmaker working in the flea market in Paris. Jean managed to convince his father not only to conserve antique furniture but also to start dealing in it. When the Second World War broke out, Jean joined the French Resistance. It was only after the end of the war, when he returned to Paris, that Jean learnt of the death of his parents and both of his elder brothers. He also discovered that his father's workshop had been taken over during the war with Gestapo "help". metext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to cometext to With his uncle's assistance, Jean bought a small truck and managed to reclaim his father's shop. He began travelling through the French countryside on weekdays, seeking out furniture, silverware, glassware, decorative paintings, carpets and so forth. Within a few months, he was able to pay back his uncle's loan. Meanwhile, rumour had it that Jean had joined a group of young men taking revenge on war-time collaborators. Jean was soon invited to give evidence to the Police. This led him, in 1949, after the establishment of the State of Israel, to move there. A year later, he opened an antique shop in Tel Aviv, first on Ben Yehuda Street before subsequently moving to premises on Allenby Street and later Dizengoff Street. Simone Tiroche (ne Nahon) was born in Casablanca, Morocco. As a young teenager, she had decided to join the Zionist movement. She helped young Jews fleeing Morocco to reach Marseilles and later Paris on their way to Israel. She herself became convinced that her own place was also there and, against her family's will, moved to Israel on her own. Simone arrived in Haifa in 1948, but soon made her way to Tel Aviv. There she found work as a bank clerk. In 1950, she met Jean at the home of mutual friends. They married the following year. Later, she would be joined there by her mother, sister and brother. Jean and Simone were soon at the heart of bohemian nightlife of Tel Aviv. Thanks to their business, they were more affluent than some of their 'bohemian', bon vivant contemporaries. Accordingly, they were often gracious and generous hosts at home and in bars and restaurants. In 1959, following a visit to the Omar Kayam night club in Jaffa, Jean was inspired to close his shop on Dizengoff St., and instead to focus his efforts on Old Jaffa. He bought a former brothel there and turned it into the old city's first art gallery, opening in 1960. Jean's pioneering bent led to his being among the first to buy a ruin in Jaffa before restoring, converting and transforming it in 1962 into one of the most beautiful houses in Israel. In this magical setting Simone and Jean would entertain foreign actors, artists and politicians, who were invited to witness the new burgeoning cultural scene in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The Tiroche Gallery and its steady influx of influential visitors markedly enlivened Jaffa's night life. The exotic exhibition space quickly became a hub for younger and older artists and bohemians alike, bringing a new energy to the area. The Tiroches relished the Parisian salon-like lifestyle of the new gallery, which attracted the "celebs" of the day. Jean was a self-taught and self-made man. The artists of the School of Paris were his main field of expertise. In his Jaffa gallery, he exhibited works by artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Marc Chagall, Moise Kisling, and Jules Pascin. His taste was innovative and modern. He also promoted local artists, such as Nachum Gutman, an established figure at the time, and more contemporary figures such as Aharon Messeg. Following the success of his Jaffa gallery and at the behest of his American collectors, Jean was invited to open galleries in the United States. Financially backed by his clients, Tiroche opened first a space in Palm Beach, Florida in 1968 and soon afterwards in New York. This American experience was short-lived, as the family was temporarily separated: Micky stayed in Israel for military service and Orna went to school in New York, while Jean and Simone moved to Florida with Serge. In 1972 the family returned to Israel. However, their American sojourn was fruitful, as it allowed Jean to expand his interest in the international art market, particularly in the fields of Impressionist, modern and contemporary art. Over the following decade, Jean came to the conclusion that he was not fully exploiting his knowledge and potential in Israel. In 1982, he therefore established himself part-time in Europe. He now became an international dealer, working at the higher end of the market, buying and selling in many countries, not least Japan. Tall and red-headed, he became a familiar figure in auction houses around the world. He was also widely respected for his expertise in his field. During the 70s and 80s, Jean opened several antique shops for members of his family, first in Jaffa and later in Tel-Aviv, as his passion for this field had never died. The family used to joke that every holiday they took would pay for itself, because wherever they travelled he would put his deep knowledge across a range of subjects to use, making acquisitions while abroad which he knew he could roll over at a profit on his return. Jean passed away in Tel Aviv in 2007. He is survived by his wife Simone, three children and seven grandchildren. His artistic and commercial legacy lives on in his three children, who are each committed to careers in the art world and are experts in their chosen fields.

Joan Miró (1893-1983)

Sans titre

Details

Joan Miró (1893-1983)
Sans titre
signed twice and inscribed 'Miró. Pour Peter Bellew, avec tout mon amitié Miró.' (lower centre)
crayon and pen and ink on paper
11¾ x 8 in. (29.7 x 20.3 cm.)
Executed circa 1960-1962

Provenance

Peter Bellew, a gift from the artist, and thence by descent to the previous owner.

Special notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 20% on the buyer's premium.

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

View condition report

Lot Essay

ADOM (Association pour la dfense de l'oeuvre de Joan Miró) has confirmed the authenticity of this work.

More from Impressionist/Modern

View All