Lempertz and Artcurial to Auction Rotthier African Art Collection in Paris
On April 6, 2026, Artcurial in partnership with Lempertz announced the September 8 auction in Paris of Jean-Jacques Rotthier’s African and Oceanic art collection during Parcours des Mondes. The sale follows the collector’s Egyptian antiquities collection which fetched nearly €1.5 million with all lots sold. Nearly 100 works, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be offered with highlights including four Songye statues estimated at €40,000 to €60,000 and a rare janus Kuyu figure carrying the same estimate.
The Signal
The Rotthier collection signals sustained collector interest in high-quality African art assembled through personal networks rather than market speculation. Its coherence and prior exhibition loans offer a benchmark for assessing demand for Central African sculpture with documented provenance. The Lempertz-Artcurial partnership illustrates cross-border strategies to present major tribal art ensembles to European buyers.
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- People: Jean-Jacques Rotthier, Bernard de Grunne, Pierre Dartevelle, Stéphane Aubert, Jan-Joris Visser
- Auction Houses: Lempertz, Artcurial
- Locations: Paris, Brussels
- Prices: €1.5 million, €40,000 – €60,000, €20,000 – €30,000
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