Property of the city of the eastern suburbs of the metropolis of Lyon, the work Abstract image 630-2 by German artist Gerhard Richter was to be sold to finance local projects. But an unfavorable opinion from the State prevented its sale.
But where did the painting go? Abstract image 630-2 by Gerhard Richter? At the end of 2021, the town of Saint-Priest, eager to sell it, thought it could hit the jackpot. In front of an audience of journalists, Gilles Gascon, mayor of the town, presented the work of the German artist for the first time. A painting acquired by the city from a Parisian gallery owner in 1988 for 100,000 francs (around 15,000 euros). “It wasn’t the work that displeased me the most», joked Robert Rivière, cultural assistant at Saint-Priest, who had decided to buy the painting 23 years earlier. In the meantime, Richter had become one of the most highly valued living artists in the world and the work acquired by the city is now estimated at more than 10 million euros.
To justify its sale, Gilles Gascon explained in 2021 that Saint-Priest no longer had the means to finance its security in safes dedicated to the works and that the money collected would make it possible to finance cultural projects and in particular the renovation of the local media library. Problem: a few weeks later, the State issued a negative opinion for the sale of the work.
A win-win “deal”
After several months of discussion with the Drac and the Ministry of Culture, a solution was finally found “six or eight months ago”entrusts Gilles Gascon today to Figaro. “This deal reached with the ministry allows us to remain the owner of the painting while making it available to our major national museums. In return, the State will finance 80% of the work on our media library, estimated at 12 million euros.explains Mayor LR of Saint-Priest.
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The work should be visible during the inauguration “from the new religious center of Auvergne to Clermont-Ferrand, indicates Gilles Gascon, before traveling to other museums”. “This is exactly what we wanted, for the painting to be visible and no longer locked in a safe but also to be able to renovate our media library dating from the 80s”he is satisfied. Concluding with mischief: “As the town of Saint-Priest still owns the painting, it will continue to increase in value”. Abstract image 630-2 is part of a series of four paintings, one of which sold for more than $30 million.
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