Influences and entourage

Jean Planque and Pablo Picasso.

Ernst Beyeler and Pablo Picasso at Mougins, 1969

In 1951 Beyeler sets up an exhibition gathering Bonnard, Renoir, Picasso and Matisse. At that time, he meets Georg Schmidt,  the curator of the Kunst Museum in Basel, who exposed modern art as well. In 1953, Beyeler sees Picasso's Guernica for the first time. This is when the fascination for modern art in general and Picasso in particular starts. In 1957, his friend, the artist Jean Planque, introduces him to Picasso at Mougins. Picasso lets him pick 26 paintings for his gallery among which Beyeler probably bought some paintings for his personal collection.
Picasso, Braque and many other modern artists collected African art and were highly influenced by African masks during their cubist period (1907-1909). Beyeler also collected African art, probably as an attempt to grasp the early influences on cubism, which he admired and collected.

G. David Thompson and the 100 Klees.

G. David Thompson observing a Giacometti sculpture

In 1959, Beyeler meets David Thompson in Pittsburg. Thompson represents a great influence as a collector for Ernst Beyeler. At that time Thompson wants to sell his collection. He is known for his successes in the steal business in America during the second world war. Thompson is a proud man and refuses to built a foundation or to give his collection to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg. His personality is very different from Beyeler's, who is a discreet man. However, Beyler is highly impressed by Thompson's collection. He is even more impressed  by the actual hanging of David Thompson's collection. What strikes him is the harmony of that displaying. This, does not come as a surprise as Beyeler is already known for his taste and brilliant ability to expose different works of art. This meeting with Thompson, the businessman and the collector, probably influenced Beyeler as far as his future collection and its displaying are concerned. Incidentally, Beyeler bought Thompson's hundred Klee collection during his visit in Pittsburg... Klee becomes a landmark in Beyeler's modern art collection.

Anecdote.

Beyeler's visit in Pittsburg also shows his attachment for a painting he cherishes: Kandinsky's Improvisation 10. He sold this painting once to a newly rich housewife. Beyeler likes to recall this woman's naïvety when she bought Kandinsky's Improvisation 10 without actually knowing Kandinsky and art in general. This woman had a fresh attitude towards art and was genuinely moved by a work of art. The idea of emotion facing art is central in Beyeler's attitude as a collector. Indeed, he  has always claimed his high standards as far as quality was concerned -as opposed to quantity-. Later Beyeler bought that painting back for his personal collection.
David Thompson wanted to trade his hundred Klee collection for a certain amount of money that Beyeler did not posses when they met. Beyeler offered money, a Cezanne and a Matisse but Thompson wanted Improvisation 10 ! Beyeler almost missed the deal because he refused to give Improvisation 10 away. This is the point when the collector proves to be stronger than the salesman.

Alberto Giacometti by Henry Cartier-Bresson

Alberto Giacometti.

Two years after his first visit to Thompson Beyeler buys his Giacometti collection. Beyeler was fascinated by the artist's work and kept nine sculptures for his private collection. The picture below shows Beyeler's tribute to Alberto Giacometti's works. Beyeler was photographed with Giacometti's sculpture. The photography is a hint to Cartier- Bresson's picture of Giacometti in his studio.