Through his personal connections with photographers, such as his sister Martine Franck and her husband Henri Cartier-Bresson, collector Eric Franck, also the father of Tatyana Franck from the Musée de l’Elysée (Lausanne, Switzerland), has had unique access to some of the most significant and iconic photography.
Indeed, on this upcoming Friday, May 19th, in London, Sotheby’s will offer at auction his outstanding collection of photographs, The Discerning Eye: Property from the Collection of Eric Franck, Part 1. The sale comprises 119 lots which showcase different shades of modernism around the world ranging from well-known Magnum photographers to lesser-known artists such as Heinz Hajek-Halke and Pentti Sammallahti. Part 2 will be held at Sotheby’s in Paris in November.
Eric Franck has for many years been synonymous with both expertise and rarity in the photographic world. Through his decades of experience both as a fine art dealer and collector, his appreciation and curatorial influence has shaped our understanding of some of the most celebrated photographers of the 20th century, thus contributing substantially to the modern vision of photography.
In 2012 Eric Franck and his wife Louise gifted the Tate over 1,400 photographs of London by 120 artists dating from the 1880s to the 2000s. This generous donation doubled the museums entire holdings of photographic prints, and has made a significant contribution to England’s understanding and appreciation of photography as an artistic medium.
The Discerning Eye: Property from the Collection of Eric Franck, Part 1
May 19, 2017 at 2PM
Sotheby’s London
United Kingdom
Full catalogue here:
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2017/photographs-from-the-co-eric-franck-l17326.html
