20th-century Parisian art dealer Léonce Rosenberg is honored in an exhibition at the Musée Picasso. The exhibition, entitled "Dans l'appartement de Léonce Rosenberg: De Chirico, Ernst, Léger, Picabia...", recreates his apartment transformed into an art gallery, bearing witness to his passion for cubism and abstract painting.

Léonce Rosenberg played a key role in promoting cubism and abstract painting. In 1918, he opened the "L'Effort Moderne" gallery, becoming a key venue for emerging artists such as Picasso, Braque, Léger, Gris, Metzinger and Picabia. Convinced that Cubism was the most modern expression of its time, Rosenberg became a fervent promoter of the movement.

His apartment, fitted out between 1928 and 1929, became an emblematic place where each room was dedicated to a different artist, combining painted canvases with a selection of antique and modern furniture. After the financial crisis of 1929/1930, the Rosenbergs' ruin led to the sale of the apartment, but the Musée Picasso took up the challenge of reconstituting the space for the exhibition.

The exhibition details the history of the apartment's eleven rooms, highlighting innovative works and collaborations with renowned artists. The dining room, with works by Georges Valmier, Joseph Csaky and René Herbst, is particularly acclaimed. Despite the strict reconstruction, the exhibition offers a glimpse of Rosenberg's passionate commitment to art and the varied influences in his apartment.

The article highlights the austerity of the museum presentation, lamenting the lack of life in the reconstruction. However, it recommends taking the time to read the correspondence between Rosenberg and the artists to understand the art dealer's avant-garde vision. Rare and exceptional works, such as Giorgio de Chirico's "Gladiators" cycle and Francis Picabia's "Transparences", are also featured.

The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to discover lesser-known artists such as Ervand Kotchva and Manuel Rendon Seminario. Despite some shortcomings, the article concludes that the exhibition is a journey through art history, offering a good moment of exploration in this exceptional venue of the Musée Picasso. Please note that the permanent collections are not accessible during the exhibition.

Elodie Couturier