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When artists paint the sky

Auctionof artists' hot-air balloons on

27 October

DROUOT will be auctioning off an unusual collection on 27 October: around thirty resin hot-air balloons painted by contemporary artists, which toured France in the 1990s.

 

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A project, 28 meetings and the heavens as inspiration

The Aéronart project was born in 1990 from the desire of Frédéric Paul, entrepreneur and founder of the company Art Analysis & Research, to bring together the poetry of "lighter than air" and the inspiration of contemporary artists.

A resin hot-air balloon, 1 metre high and 1 metre in diameter, was sent to each of the artists, who responded enthusiastically to the offer to create a work on an original medium. The thirty or so hot-air balloons produced provide an exceptional panorama of contemporary artistic creation in 1990, by established and lesser-known French and international artists from artistic movements as diverse as Supports/Surfaces, Op Art, Colorfield painting, Nouvelle Figuration and CoBrA.

 

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Works exhibited many times

In keeping with his democratic conception of contemporary art, Frédéric Paul organised several exhibitions of this ensemble from 1991 onwards, which were widely covered by the press:

 

  • Nave of the Grand Palais, 1990

 

  • CNIT (Centre des Nouvelles Industries et Technologies), La Défense, 10 to 30 June 1991

 

  • IIIe Trophée des Châteaux de la Loire, Château de Loches, September 1991

 

  • Paris, Espace Kronenbourg Aventure, 2 to 21 December 1991

 

  • Château de Vascoeuil, Montgolfières d'artistes, 4 April - 27 June 1993

 


The project was even enriched by the creation of two life-size balloons, one by Peter Klasen and the other by Valerio Adami, which were flown at hot-air balloon gatherings in the 1990s.

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Signatures and estimates reflecting the art scene of the 1990s

These unique works in polyester resin and fibreglass, of identical dimensions and weight (100 x 100 x 100 cm, 5 kg) are estimated at between €500/800 and €20,000/30,000, with no reserve price. 
 

"""" To make the most of each collection entrusted to us, we put together bespoke arrangements, which in this case includes logistical expertise and creativity to match the project" Alexandre MILLON

A selection of hot-air balloons will be on display in the lounges of the Royal Monceau-Raffles Paris hotel from 6 September.

Artists : ADAMI Valerio - ARTSCHWAGER Richard - ALBINET Jean-Paul- BAZAINE Jean - BRACONNIER Stéphane - CANE Louis - PIZZI CANELLA Piero - CIONI Carlo - CORNEILLE - DEBRÉ Olivier - DE ROUGEMONT Guy - DI STEFANO Nunzio - ERRO - HORI Kosai - IMMENDORF Jörg - JACCARD CHRISTIAN - KLASEN Peter - KUSAMA Yayoi - LEE U Fan - MATTA Roberto - MOMOSE Hisashi - NOLAND Kenneth - OKAMOTO Atsuo - POLKE Sigmar - SHINOHARA Ushio - SOTO Jesus Rafael - VERAME Jean - XENAKIS Constantin

 

 

 

 

Sales information

Contacts and Information

Contemporary Art and Post-War Department

- Brune Dumoncel d'Argence

bdumoncel@millon.com

+33 (0)1 87 03 04 71

 

Communications

- Patricia Levy

plevy@millon.com 

+33 (0)6 13 53 45 67

 

Sale

Friday 27 October at 2.30 pm in room VV

Quartier Drouot - 3 rue Rossini Paris 9e

 

Exhibition

From 6 September at the Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris - 37 av Hoche Paris 8è

Thursday 26 October from 11am to 6pm at 3 rue Rossini Paris 9è

 

 

 

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  • Email   benelux@millon.com

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Our sales results “montgolfières”

Sold to €600

Sold the 2025/10/31

Hector TROTIN (Paris, 1874-1966).

Lot 18

Sold to €110

Sold the 2024/09/24

Paire d'appliques de style Louis XVI

Lot 324

Sold to €270

Sold the 2025/05/21

SAINT LOUIS, Compagnie des Cristalleries de

Lot 456

Sold to €680

Sold the 2024/09/24

FRANCE, XXème siècle

Lot 346

Sold to €650

Sold the 2024/11/22

Richard ARTSCHWAGER (1923-2013)

Sans titre, 1990
Lot 190

Sold to €580

Sold the 2025/10/31

Hector TROTIN (Paris, 1874-1966).

Lot 16

Sold to €80

Sold the 2025/10/04

Victor VIKO (Victor KONSENS, dit 1915-1998) Aquarelle

Ibiza, Vieille femme fumant
Lot 212

Sold to €90

Sold the 2025/05/27

COCTEAU (Jean).

Lot 136

Sold to €200

Sold the 2025/05/22

Matisse, Van Dongen, Bonnard, Dufy et divers illustrateurs et Paul Valéry

Paris 1937, 1937
Lot 306

Sold to €60

Sold the 2025/11/06

KESSEL (Joseph)

Lot 282

Sold to €1,700

Sold the 2024/12/04

BARBIER (George).

Lot 479

Sold to €4,000

Sold the 2024/04/26

Rare encadrement en os et métal doré de forme rectangulaire,

Lot 295

Sold to €3,600

Sold the 2024/12/04

[RESTIF DE LA BRETONNE (Nicolas-Edme)].

Lot 416

Sold to €300

Sold the 2025/04/24

TERRASSE (Michel) & COLETTE.

Lot 302

Sold to €1,000

Sold the 2024/12/04

SAND (George).

Lot 594

Other auctions in the speciality “POST WAR & ART CONTEMPORAIN”

Sold to €220,000

Sold the 2025/06/05

CÉSAR BALDACCINI (1921-1998)

Le Centaure, Hommage à Picasso, 1983-1987
Lot 1

Sold to €207,000

Sold the 2025/06/16

Antonio BANDEIRA (1922-1967)

Ville Blanche, 1966
Lot 23

Sold to €185,000

Sold the 2024/12/18

CHU TEH-CHUN (1920-2014)

Tout seul, 1982
Lot 42

Sold to €130,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

Vaclav BOSTIK (1913-2005)

Sans titre
Lot 50

Sold to €90,000

Sold the 2025/09/22

Antonio SEGUI (1934-2022)

Para Inventar una Historia , 2019
Lot 219

Sold to €80,000

Sold the 2025/09/22

Antonio SEGUI (1934-2022)

De Dubai con Cariño , 2020
Lot 218

Sold to €60,000

Sold the 2024/12/18

Hans HARTUNG (1904-1989)

T1981-R4, 1981
Lot 26

Sold to €60,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

CHU TEH-CHUN (1920-2014)

n°484, 1973
Lot 33

Sold to €58,000

Sold the 2024/09/26

Olivier DEBRÉ (1920-1999)

Composition, circa 1950
Lot 535

Sold to €50,000

Sold the 2025/04/02

Robert COMBAS (né en 1957)

AU LOIN L'USINE DE LA COFAZ, 1984
Lot 71

Sold to €48,000

Sold the 2025/04/02

Robert COMBAS (né en 1957)

Libération - Mort aux vaches, 1988
Lot 70

Sold to €48,000

Sold the 2025/09/22

Antonio SEGUI (1934-2022)

Memoria de un Ropero, 2018
Lot 217

Sold to €47,000

Sold the 2024/06/28

Wifredo LAM (1902-1982)

Sans titre, circa 1941
Lot 49

Sold to €43,000

Sold the 2024/06/28

Alexander CALDER (1898-1976)

Pink Circle with Blue, 1962
Lot 53

Sold to €42,000

Sold the 2025/04/02

Antonio SAURA (1930-1998)

Retrato n°76, 1959
Lot 34

Sold to €40,000

Sold the 2024/09/26

Edo MURTIC (1921-2004)

Composition, Napoli
Lot 499

Sold to €40,000

Sold the 2025/04/02

CESAR (1921-1998)

Compression du Lutetia, circa 1990
Lot 39

Sold to €40,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

Gérard SCHNEIDER (1896-1986)

Sans titre n°357, 1948
Lot 2

Sold to €38,000

Sold the 2024/09/30

Serge POLIAKOFF (1900-1969)

Composition, 1953
Lot 45

Sold to €38,000

Sold the 2024/09/30

Serge POLIAKOFF (1900-1969)

Sans titre, 1965
Lot 46

Sold to €38,000

Sold the 2024/12/18

Anna Eva BERGMAN (1909-1987)

Finnmark, n°29-1965, 1965
Lot 27

Sold to €38,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

Maria Helena VIEIRA DA SILVA (1908-1992)

Sans titre, 1958
Lot 23

Sold to €34,000

Sold the 2025/04/02

Jean-Michel ATLAN (1913-1960)

Psaume, 1958
Lot 8

Sold to €32,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

Vera PAGAVA (1907-1988)

Plaine, 1963
Lot 49

Sold to €30,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

Antonio SEGUI (1934-2022)

Todos Creimos en Madoff, 2009
Lot 73

Sold to €29,000

Sold the 2025/06/16

Vera PAGAVA (1907-1988)

Sans titre, 1962
Lot 19

Sold to €29,000

Sold the 2025/06/16

François ROUAN (né en 1943)

Nomentana - Porta Pia, 1973-1974
Lot 57

Sold to €28,000

Sold the 2024/09/26

Edo MURTIC (1921-2004)

Composition
Lot 500

Sold to €28,000

Sold the 2025/11/24

Hervé DI ROSA (né en 1959)

Corrida Ultimate, 2014
Lot 83

Sold to €25,000

Sold the 2024/06/28

Gérard SCHNEIDER (1896-1986)

Composition 47L, 1975
Lot 30

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