René Gimpel in Discussion with Sue Grayson Ford MBE
Restitution: Gimpel vs the French Government – a Seven Year Saga
(online Video: YouTube Channel of the Insiders / Outsiders Festival of Great Britain)
For seven years, the grandchildren of eminent art dealer René Gimpel (1881-1945) mounted a campaign to recover three paintings by André Derain, which they believed were seized from their grandfather in forced sales during the Occupation of France.
Finally, a verdict in the case – Gimpel vs the French Government – was reached on 30 September 2020, after copious research, forensic detective work and two high court proceedings. One grandson, also called René Gimpel, will recount this extraordinary saga, and describe how during the war his grandfather, his English wife and their three children were involved in Resistance activities throughout occupied France.
Sue Grayson Ford MBE, was co-curator of the 2019 exhibition Brave New Visions at Sotheby’s, which explored the legacy of émigré dealers from Nazi Europe, including the Gimpel family.
The interview can now be found on the Insiders/Outsiders YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/Ze71D_Qf2mU.
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