DENISE RENÉ (1913-2012), the eminent "Papesse de l'art abstrait", opened
her gallery in her family millinery workshop on rue La Boétie in 1944, presenting
numerous influential exhibitions championing geometric abstract artists, such
as Vasarely, Poliakoff, Gilioli, Deyrolle and Dewasne. She later opened galleries
in New York and Dusseldorf.
Galerie Denise René
COLETTE ALLENDY (1895-1960), turned her home
into a gallery in 1946, where she held the ground-
breaking Art Informel show "HWPSMTB" (Hartung,
Wols, Picabia, Stahly, Mathieu, Tapié, Bryen) in 1948.
Galerie Colette Allendy
"Wols + Bryen" exhibition, 1955
Galerie Colette Allendy
JEANNE BUCHER (1872-1946) born in Germany. The
matriarch of women gallerists. She first opened her
gallery in Paris in 1929, showing Nicolas de Stael,
Vieira da Silva, Chapoval and Lanskoy amongst
many others. Her spirit continued in her nephew
after her death.
Galerie Jeanne Bucher
NINA DAUSSET was a Russian émigré and opened her
gallery in 1945 (also for a while called Galerie La
Dragonne), initially showing surrealists, in 1951 she
organised the ground-breaking abstract show
"Véhémences Confrontées" with Bryen, Hartung, Pollock
and de Kooning.
Galerie Nina Dausset
FLORENCE BANK was American, and opened her “Galerie des Deux Iles”
in 1946, presenting in 1948 an influential show "White and Black" with
Fautrier, Mathieu, Wols and Germain.
IRIS CLERT (1917-1986) born in Greece, she opened a gallery in Paris in 1955
which became renowned for showing radical artists such as Fontana, Yves
Klein and Jean Tinguely, she treated the gallery as a laboratory, and published
the journal "Iris-Time" mixing artworld gossip and avant-garde polemics.
Galerie Iris Clert
DENISE BRETEAU (1915-2005) was an artist herself and co-directed Galerie
Breteau with her husband, showing a range of artists including Goetz, Maryan,
Pouget and Smadja.
LYDIA CONTI opened her gallery in 1947 immediately exhibiting the likes of
Hartung and Soulages. Although she was forced to close the gallery in 1949
due to family pressures she continued to be an influential curator and dealer.
LOUISE LEIRIS was the step-daughter of Daniel-Henri
Kahnweiler and took over the family gallery in 1941,
showing Modern Masters.
MYRIAM PRÉVOT (1919-1977) initially worked for Réné Drouin before
collaborating with Gildo Caputo to set up Galerie Billiet, and then Galerie de
France in 1951, with a substantial exhibition program of artists from Soulages
and Zao Wou-ki to Singier and Gischia.
HENRIETTE NIEPCE (1916-2010) was an artist and
political activist and opened a gallery in 1951, where
she was one of the first to exhibit Riopelle in 1952,
before having to close it due to family obligations
following the death of her father.
Photograph by Henriette's sister Janine Niepce,
one of the first photo-journalists in France.
Copyright Janine Niepce - Roger Viollet
Galerie Henriette Niepce
MICHELE ORLANDO co-directed Galerie Ariel with Lucian Durand, and
Jean Pollak; showing Art Brut and Cobra artists such as Dubuffet and
Alechinsky.
JEANNE CASTEL originally opened her gallery in the 1920's
on rue du Général Beuret, and went on to show many
high-profile artists, including Fautrier.
DINA VIERNY (1919-2009) born in Moldova, she emigrated to France in 1925
and participated in the October Group, and became Maillol's muse, subsequently
inheriting his estate. In 1947 she opened a gallery showing naiive art as well
as émigrés such as Serge Poliakoff.
Galerie Dina Vierny
Galerie CHRISTIANE COLIN
SUZANNE DE CONINCK studied art in Brussels before opening the Galerie de
Beaune in 1949 and part publishing house, exhibiting masters such as
Kandinsky, as well as supporting young female artists like Marie Raymond
and Aurélie Nemours.
KATIA GRANOFF (1895–1989) was a Russian émigré, orphaned at the age of
sixteen, she studied in Switzerland, before opening her first gallery in Paris in
1926. She was the first to show Monet’s waterlillies, and supported female
artists such as Chana Orloff and Valentine Prax. She later opened further
galleries in Honfleur and Cannes.
BERTHE WEILL (1865-1961) the godmother of women
gallerists, spent her dowry on opening a gallery in 1901
being one of the first to sell Picasso’s work, she went on
to show, Matisse, Modigliani. Leger…et al. But was
forced to close due to the Occupation. She only survived
financially in her later years with the support of her loyal
artists donating artworks.
For further info see the Archives of Berthe Weill: