The René and Madeleine Junod col- lection
The René and
Madeleine Junod collection
In 1986, La Chaux-de-Fonds received a major bequest of thirty paintings from the collection built up by local couple René and Madeleine Junod from the 1930s to the 1950s.
René and Madeleine Junod were art lovers in the true sense. Their collection meant far more to them than any outward display of wealth and success. They were generous, discreet patrons who lent their support to several cultural institutions and initiatives to widen access to the arts.
The collection of paintings they built with the advice of dealers reflects Swiss art collecting practices between the wars, showcasing modern French works with a clear preference for realism and neo-impressionism. While the collection as a whole is shaped by the collectors’ own views and tastes, it also has much to say about the wider trends in the reception of art and the art market in French-speaking Switzerland in the mid-twentieth century.
Georges Braque, «Nature morte aux poissons (Les maquereaux)», 1942
Oil on paper mounted on canvas, 49 x 64 cm
Paul Gauguin, «Paysage du Pouldu», 1890
Oil on canvas, 54 x 65 cm
Vincent van Gogh, «Fillette aux cheveux ébouriffés», 1888
Oil on canvas, 35.5 × 24.5 cm
Henri Matisse, «Jeunes filles au jardin», 1919
Oil on canvas, 54.5 × 65 cm
Amedeo Modigliani, «Portrait de jeune femme», 1918-1920
Oil on canvas, 65 × 50 cm
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, «Les Collettes», circa 1908
Oil on canvas, 39 × 54 cm
Camille Pissarro, «Verger à Pontoise», 1877
Oil on canvas, 46 × 55 cm
Chaïm Soutine, «Vue de Cagnes (La gaude et les baous)», 1922–1923
Oil on canvas, 60.5 × 72.5 cm
André Derain, «L’Estaque», 1906
Oil on canvas, 38 × 55 cm