This rare four-handed work comes from the collection of art critic and gallery owner Cérès Franco (1926–2021). Of Brazilian origin, she had a single goal from the moment she settled in Paris in the early 1950s: to introduce others to and share her passion for artists from around the world, united by their creative freedom and their taste for figurative art and color. Her gallery, L’Œil de Bœuf, founded in 1972 at 58 Rue Quincampoix, was a refuge for all. Her “borderless” eye brought visibility to the painters of her time.

This painting is a collaborative work by Corneille—a renowned Dutch figure of the CoBrA movement—and Michel Macréau, a talent she helped bring to light. It was for their beloved gallery owner that the two painters created this large canvas in 1968, with the inscription: “Corneille and I are going to try working together, Friday, November 14.” They did so using the former’s characteristic colors and the latter’s highly personal figurative style.