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Artsmarts • • Author: Irina Olikh
For Erich Maria Remarque, Impressionists, often mentioned inhis novels, were something more than just anobject ofadmiration. The writer had first-hand knowledge ofthe world ofart: hehimself owned amassive collection that included works byVan Gogh, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Pissarro, Cézanne, Degas, Renoir— just tomention afew. Remarque’s collection played avery special role inhis personal life, too.
The writer’s love for art helped him meet his best friend, the gallerist Walter Feilchenfeldt, get over Marlene Dietrich after their painful break-up, and finally, despite his ill-fated attraction towards actresses (which always ended infailure), find his last and only and true love, the Hollywood star Paulette Goddard.
‘Beauty isthe perfection, which like infinity, wetry tomeet but never succeed indoing. … Iput that which enriches mylife and endows itwith wonder and meaning here beside meinmy home where itisvisible inorder that each day may befilled tothe brim with beauty.'
Erich Maria Remarque
The girl in the hat. Study for the painting "ball at the Moulin de La Galette"
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
1876
Itiscommonly believed that only those can treasure every moment and have aspecial sense ofbeauty who have experienced extreme emotional and psychological distress. Quite ashare ofitfell toRemarque’s lot. Aged twenty, hereturned from the front line ofWorld War I. Hehad been appalled atthe inane bloodshed and complete disregard for human life, and for along time, hecould not find inner peace and readjust himself tocivil life. When the Nazis took power inGermany, hewas thirty. His books were found unpatriotic, forbidden, and put tofire. Atforty, Remarque was arefugee inAmerica. Like his characters, hehad made his way ofgrief, his Via Dolorosa tofinally become ‘a Militant Pacifist.' But whatever adversities paved his way, there were two things that always inspired him: his literary writing and his passion for art.
For Remarque, art was anindicator ofmankind’s progress, ofhumanistic values. Heviewed itas aweapon against, and antidote tobarbarism, persecution, dictatorship, and menace ofwar.
Erich Maria Remarque athis villa inPorto Ronco, Switzerland. 1950—1960. Photo from: e-pics.ethz.ch
World fame and the beginning of an art collector
In1928, ten years after World War Iwas over, Remarque, torid himself ofdemons ofwar haunting him, wrote the novel All Quiet onthe Western Front. The book made him world-famous. Money from royalties and film rights started flowing in.
Having woken upthis rich, Remarque decided toinvest the money into shares, gold, and real estate, and his new romantic companion Ruth Albu advised him topurchase artworks. Ruth, anactress inBerlin and anart collector’s daughter, was quite knowledgeable about antiquities. When Remarque, in1931, bought avilla atLake Maggiore, inPorto Ronco, Switzerland, she helped him indecorating the interiors.
Soon, the writer’s house filled with elegant antiques that revealed their owner’s aesthetic preferences. Bronze statuettes, vases byold Egyptian, Chinese, and Greek ceramists, rococo furniture, 17th-century Persian carpets, Venetian glass— all these wonderful pieces made bymasters ofa*ges past and gone assuaged the anxiety ofthe writer’s heart. Enthusiastically, heplunged into art history buying dozens ofbooks. Astime passed, the research work ofhis own, meeting art dealers, visiting museums, and studying his collection would make Remarque not only aperceptive connoisseur ofart, but anerudite collector and expert aswell.
Pinedjem I (the High Priest ofAmun atThebes from 1070 to1032 BC). Egypt, 1075—944 BC. Blue faience. Photo from: sothebys.com
‘It takes time, patience, and love tobecome aconnoisseur.'
Erich Maria Remarque. Shadows inParadise.
Oenochoe. A red-figured empty wine jug. Greece, IV cent. BC. Sold at Sotheby in 1977. Private collection. Photo from: auction.fr
Lekythoi. Two black-figured vessels. Greece, V cent. BC. Sold at Sotheby in 1977. Private collection. Photo from: auction.fr
His knowledge ofart Remarque ‘imparted' tothe characters ofhis books. Anexpert was the role taken, out ofnecessity, bythe journalist Robert Ross, arefugee from Germany, the protagonist ofthe novel Shadows inParadise. For two years, hewas hiding from the Nazis inthe Brussels Museum. Inthe daytime, hestayed locked upin asmall storeroom and did not dare move, and atnight, hewalked about the museum studying the Impressionist paintings and the extensive collection ofChinese bronzes the museum was famous for.
When Ross came toAmerica, hegot hired bythe prominent New York art dealer and collector Silvers. His new assistant’s knowledge allowed Silvers tooften introduce Ross tohis clients asacurator ofthe Louvre. ‘During mystay inthe Brussels Museum Ihad learned one thing: that objects begin tospeak only after you have looked atthem for along time, and that the ones that speak soonest are never the best. <…> Inthis way Igradually learned the feel ofpatinas. Onsummer evenings Iwould peer into the cases for hours, and sobecame agood judge oftexture, though Ihad never seen the colours byproper daylight. But, above all, mystudies inthe dark had incourse oftime given meablind man’s heightened sense oftouch.'
Ding (Chinese ceremonial vessel). China, the Western Zhou dynasty. Private collection. Photo from: sotheby’s.
‘The bronze had had the right feel inthe shop; the contours and reliefs were sharp, which may have been the reason for the museum expert’s opinion, but tomethey did not seem new. When Iclosed myeyes and felt them slowly and carefully, Ibecame more and more convinced that the piece was very old.
Ihad seen asimilar bronze inBrussels. Atfirst the curator had taken itfor aTang orMing copy. The Chinese had begun long ago— asearly asthe Han dynasty atthe beginning ofour era— tobury copies ofShang and Chou bronzes; the patina onthese pieces was just about perfect, and itwas very hard toidentify them unless there were slight mistakes inthe ornaments ordefects inthe casting.'
Cat. Bronze. Egypt, 664—332 BC. Private collection. The sculpture was sold atSotheby in1977 bythe writer’s widow. Photo from: christies.com.
Remarque, atrue man ofletters, renders his own feelings toexplain his singular fondness for bronzes, when hedescribes the gentle warmth oftheir patina (‘They … gave meastrange sense ofbeing athome.') orspeaks ofthe materialised illusion ofeternity that someone, centuries ago, was lucky tofind.
Still life with flowers
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Two comrades: ‘Boni und Feilchen’
In1930, Ruth Albu introduced Remarque toWalter Feilchenfeldt, aleading expert inModernist painting inEurope. His was acrucial role inthe progressive transformation ofthe amount ofart objects amassed byRemarque into one ofthe best private collections ofthat time. Inhis turn, the writer, who possessed afabulous fortune, became avery important client for the art dealer inthe years ofthe Great Depression inGermany. Astime passed, atrue, long-lasting friendship developed from their affinity and their mutual interest inart where Walter was Remarque’s teacher aswell ashis expert. Remarque addressed the gallerist with the friendly name ofFeilchen, and Walter, like Remarque’s other friends, called him Boni.
Remarque was passionate about Impressionist art and bought from Walter works by Monet, Pissarro, Degas, Cézanne, and Renoir. One ofhis first purchases was Degas’s pastel drawing Three Dancers.
Three dancers
Edgar Degas
1893
Garden Of The Louvre. The fog effect
Camille Pissarro
1899
The girl coming out of bathroom
Edgar Degas
1877, 17×22cm
Bythe moment hemet Remarque, Walter, for some years, had been running Paul Cassirer’s famous gallery inBerlin. After Hitler’s coming topower, Feilchenfeldt acted inaself-sacrificing and risky way. Hedid his best tosupport art collectors and advised his clients toloan the artworks they owned toexhibitions outside Germany toprevent the collections from being confiscated bythe Nazis. Hehimself had succeeded inholding afew ‘saving' exhibitions inSwitzerland and Holland before hewas denaturalised in1933 (like many other Jews inGermany) and was denied his legal right towork. Only in1940, hegot aresidence permit inSwitzerland, and only in1948, hewas allowed towork. After leaving Germany, Feilchenfeldt roamed about Europe. Hecould bemet inAmsterdam, where there was anoffshoot ofPaul Cassirer’s gallery, and inLondon and Paris, where heestablished contacts. For some time, helived inZurich and frequently visited Remarque’s villa. Atthat villa, Walter and his wife spent the summer of1934.
Ahigh-calibre professional, Feilchenfeldt had towork without legal rights and inconstant fear ofdeportation, and quite anumber ofthe episodes ofhis vagrancy can befound inRemarque’s novels Arch ofTriumph and Flotsam (titled inGerman Liebe deinen Nächsten— Love Thy Neighbour).
Erich Maria Remarque, Walter Feilchenfeldt, Jutta Zambona (the writer’s first wife), and Marianne Breslauer (the gallerist’s wife) atthe writer’s villa inPorto Ronco, Switzerland. 1933—1935. Photo from: strannik17.livejournal.com.
Remarque became the godfather ofWalter Feilchenfeldt’s son. Asthe Feilchenfeldts' family legend has it, Remarque only agreed tobethe godfather oncondition that the boy was named after him. But the parents detested the name Erich and used the writer’s middle name. SoFeilchen’s son was called Walter Maria Feilchenfeldt. Today, this Walter Feilchenfeldt iswell-known asanexpert inVan Gogh and Cézanne, the author ofmonographs about these artists and catalogues oftheir works, and one ofthe creators of the online catalogue raisonné ofPaul Cézanne's paintings. Besides, hepublished the work Boni and Feilchen. The Collector and His Dealer, that was then included, asachapter, into the book Remarque’s Impressionists: Art Collecting and Art Dealing inExile.
Self-portrait in a brown vest
Edgar Degas
1856, 24×19cm
Etude
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Concierge Monsieur Paul Berard
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
1879, 22.2×16.6cm
Dancing Jocasta
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
37.5×27cm
Two dancers
Edgar Degas
1885, 41×32.5cm
The most prominent piece inRemarque’s collection was Van Gogh's The Railway Bridge over Avenue Montmajour, which had earlier belonged tofamous actress Tilla Durieux. The writer acquired the canvas inDecember, 1933, and paid for itall the fee hehad got for aseries ofshort stories published inthe American magazine Collier’s. This painting was one ofRemarque’s greatest joys. Wherever helived, hewould take italong. This townscape would always behanging infront ofhim inhis living room— apicture full ofanacute sensation ofdesperate loneliness sofamiliar tohim.
Railway bridge on Avenue Monmajour
Vincent van Gogh
1888, 71×91cm
Cézanne's paintings had aspecial fascination for Remarque. Ofall ofthe painter’s works, Remarque found Cézanne's water-colours tobeof the highest artistic merits. Cézanne was Remarque’s longest-standing passion that lasted for years and years. Ofthe 150 pieces Remarque had inhis collection, eighteen were by Cézanne.
Later, the writer had anopportunity totake part inaproject aimed atthe preservation ofhis favourite painter’s artistic legacy. Remarque was one ofthose who sponsored the Cézanne Memorial Committee founded in1952 that would buy out Paul Cézanne's studio inAix-en-Provence. In1954, the house was turned into the painter’s museum, L’atelier Cézanne.
Balerma village, Auvers-sur-Oise
Paul Cezanne
1881, 53×85.5cm
Terrace in the garden, Fishing, AIX EN Provence
Paul Cezanne
1906, 43.2×54.6cm
Landscape in Provence
Paul Cezanne
1882, 54.7×65.5cm
Trees and cistern in the Park of Castle Black
Paul Cezanne
1902, 47.8×31.4cm
Paul Cézanne. Still Life with Two Skulls. 1890. Photo from: strannik17.livejournal.com
In1939, Remarque, through Walter’s mediation, bought his first Cézanne, the large canvas Dans laplaine deBellevue (Onthe Plain ofBellevue). Asthough Walter felt that was the last deal they were engaged intogether, hegave Remarque, asapresent, Cézanne's water-colour Still Life with Two Skulls, and jokingly called ittheir companion portrait. Shortly afterwards, war would separate them for years, and Remarque would frequently write letters tohim whom hecalled the only friend ofhis young years.
Remarque, Dietrich, Cézanne. Which one is the ‘third-person-out’?
In1939, atthe Venice Film Festival, Remarque met Marlene Dietrich. She, agoddess among film stars, and he, anindividualistic intellectual— they seemed tobepoles apart. However, they had alot incommon: they both early achieved success, were financially independent, and each ofthem, some time before, had demonstrated inpublic their disgust atthe Nazis although neither ofthem was aJew; then they both emigrated toAmerica; and each had gone through apersonal crisis before the war. Remarque wrote inhis letter tothe actress, ‘We have much too much past and nofuture insight.'
Some details oftheir affair Remarque would later describe inthe novel Arch ofTriumph.
Marlene Dietrich and Erich Maria Remarque
Marlene Dietrich inher New York apartment. 1948. Photo from: lumieregallery.net
Remarque was completely obsessed byDietrich. The actress’s fickleness and coldness ofmanner tortured him, hewas jealous ofher admirers and lovers who were still there even after hecame into her life. The writer’s salvation, inthe periods ofa*gonies, depression, and jealousy, were new acquisitions for his collection— and Cézanne's water-colours comforted him more than ever.
Well, the only thing beyond Marlene’s control was the writer’s collection, the passion with which hepursued his hobby. So Cézanne's above all? OK— and Dietrich now and then demanded the French artist’s paintings tobegiven toher asaproof ofthe writer’s love. Remarque readily lavished elegant jewellery onhis woman, and gave her works by Corot, Cézanne, and Delacroix (she herself owned several landscape paintings byCorot and Utrillo).
Recommended artists
Their relationship did not last long, but ittook the writer years tofully free himself from the obsession called Marlene. And after that, their affair would appear tohave been just agreat illusion full oflies and self-deception. Once, when talking tohis translator and friend, Remarque would confess toher that, not tolet Marlene go, hewould have had todonate all his collection toher.
Mount Sainte-Victoire from Lauves
Paul Cezanne
1906, 42.8×53.9cm
‘Pictures,' said Silvers, ‘are refugees like yourself. You refugees often end upinstrange places. Whether you’re happy about itisanother question.'
Erich Maria Remarque. Shadows inParadise.
The Promised Land
Right before the war, inSeptember, 1939, Remarque came toAmerica and settled inLos Angeles. His first year inthe United States was hard: though financially independent, heremained lonely and depressed after his displacement. Art and collecting artworks became anessential part ofhis life inemigration.
Atthat time, there were nobig museums and galleries inLos Angeles. When in1940, Sam Salz, anart dealer and arefugee, opened there anaffiliated branch ofhis gallery, Remarque was one ofthe first tovisitit. Ironically, Salz was Feilchenfeldt’s sworn enemy, but Remarque again became alifeline for Salz and introduced him toHollywood actors and producers.
Salz did his best tofind Cézannes for Remarque, but hedrew the writer’s attention toother Modernists, too. Remarque’s collection widened asitincluded the works byartists that were new tohim: Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo, Picasso, Daumier, and Pissarro.
Camille Pissarro. Portrait ofa*girl with adoll.
The fog effect in the vicinity of Dieppe
Claude Monet
1882
InSeptember 1940, Remarque’s collection arrived inLos Angeles atlast— hehad been separated from his ‘Cézannes, Degas, and Renoirs' for more than ayear. Remarque immediately unpacked them todecorate his new apartment, and after that, hewrote inhis diary, ‘A feeling ofhome inthese things.' Afew days later, heinvited his new friends tosee his collection. The guests included Sam Salz, the literary agent Otto Klement, the actor Edward G. Robinson, the film director Josef von Sternberg (these last two both art collectors themselves), the actress Elisabeth Bergner (with her husband), the New York art dealer Germain Seligman, and Marlene Dietrich.
Inthe summer of1940, Remarque changed his old attitudes toart collecting. Usually, only his friends had been allowed tosee his collection— now hewanted toshare itwith the public. InFebruary 1941, the writer loaned four items tothe Metropolitan Museum ofArt for the French Painting from David toToulouse-Lautrec exhibition, and inJanuary 1942, his Van Gogh went toanexhibition atthe Rosenberg Gallery, New York.
Onmaking aclose acquaintance with Roland McKinney, the director ofthe Los Angeles County Museum, Remarque loaned his entire collection there tobepresented asthe E. M. R. Collection atthe exhibition held from November 1942 toJuly 1943. Itwas aprominent event for the city, and itdid not gounnoticed.
In the circus. Spanish walk
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
1899
In the theater
Edgar Degas
When Remarque came toNew York, hebecame even more active. Hegot acquainted with alot ofNew York gallery owners including Paul Rosenberg, Germain Seligman, Georges Wildenstein, Alfred Salmony. Besides, hecontinued buying art and associated with famous private art collectors. Onthe one hand, hewas eager tosee their collections, onthe other hand, these people were objects ofhis own observations tobe ‘used' later inhis novels: ‘Tell one ofthese fresh-baked millionaires tobuy aRenoir, and he’ll laugh atyou. He’ll think it’s abicycle. But tell him aRenoir will improve his social standing, and he’ll take half adozen!' (Shadows inParadise).
In1943, atthe Knoedler Galleries, there was another exhibition ofRemarque’s collection featuring thirteen paintings, 32 works onpaper, and two Fayum mummy portraits. The New York Times critic Edward Alden Jewell wrote that the Remarque Collection played ‘an uncommonly large role' inthe art season. After the Knoedler show, most ofthe items ofthe Remarque collection went toanexhibition atthe Metropolitan Museum ofArt, and later, they were sent tothe Kunsthaus Zurich.
His works by Cézanne Remarque loaned tothe Metropolitan Museum, where they stayed from 1949 to1956, and then, until 1979, they were ondisplay inthe Kunsthaus Zurich.
The public, critics, and art collectors— all acknowledged Remarque asone ofthe most important art collectors and connoisseurs ofhis time.
Portrait ofawoman. Fayum mummy portrait. 2nd cent. AD. Encaustic onpanel. Private collection. Photo from: christies.com.
Remarque’s collection included two Fayum mummy portraits, rare examples ofAncient Egyptian art ofthe Roman era. Inthe early 20th century, they belonged toRudolf Mosse, aGerman publisher ofJewish origin, who owned amost extensive art collection. Hedied in1920 and left everything tohis daughter Felicia Lachmann-Mosse. The Nazis expropriated the collection, ofwhich more than 400 items were then sold atanauction in1934. Itremains obscure when and where Remarque got these portraits, ashenever purchased artworks ofdubious provenance. Inthe 1970s, the Kunsthaus Zurich bought the Fayum portraits atanauction, and in2015, itrestituted them tothe Mosse family’s heirs.
Portrait ofabearded man. Fayum mummy portrait. 2nd cent. AD. Encaustic onpanel. Private collection. Photo from: christies.com
InNew York, Remarque loved visiting the Metropolitan Museum ofArt that every time inspired him for philosophical meditation and gave marvellous comfort tothe writer’s restless heart.
‘On myfirst visit tothe Metropolitan Iwas afraid that other memories would rise upinme, but this museum seemed toenfold meinthe same sheltering stillness. Even the furious battle scenes onthe walls seemed toemanate peace, apeace that had something metaphysical about it, apeace removed from time. Here inthese rooms Isuddenly had the pure and boundless feeling oflife that the Hindus call ‘samadhi,' afeeling one never quite loses once one has knownit. One knows forever after that life iseternal and that we, too, can partake ofeternal life ifonly wesucceed insloughing off the snakeskin ofthe ego and inunderstanding that death istransformation. Ihad had this insight while looking atElGreco’s sublimely sombre view ofToledo, which hangs directly beside his much larger portrait ofthe Grand Inquisitor, that prototype ofthe Gestapo and ofall the tortures inthe world. Idid not know whether there was any connection between the two; inthat luminous moment Ifelt that all things were atonce connected and unconnected, and that connections, coherence, were nothing but ahuman crutch, half Heand half imponderable truth. But what was the difference between animponderable truth and animponderable lie?'
Shadows inParadise.
The Palace of the Doges with the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Venice
Claude Monet
1908
‘Miracles always wait for ussomewhere around the despair.'
Erich Maria Remarque
The Palazzo Ducale. The Doge's Palace
Claude Monet
81×100cm
Mount of happiness
In1948, Remarque returned tohis villa Casa Monte Tabor inSwitzerland. Inthe 1930s, ithad been his stronghold where toretreat from the Nazis, and now itwas his paradise where hewould live with his second wife, the Hollywood actress Paulette Goddard. For both ofthem, itwould betheir last and happiest marriage. Paulette helped him feel the joy oflife again, his melancholy could not resist the actress’s sunny, easy disposition. They travelled about Europe alot, visiting, one byone, St. Moritz, Salzburg, Vienna, London, Paris, Cannes, Venice, and Paulette’s favourite city ofRome.
They both loved art. Long before she met Remarque, Paulette had collected art objects, too. She was into antique furniture, Ancient Egyptian and Asian applied art, and pre-Columbian cultures. In1947, she and her third husband Burgess Meredith had opened anantique shop and the High Tor Associates gallery inthe state ofNew York.
Paulette Goddard and Erich Maria Remarque atthe villa inPorto Ronco, Switzerland. 1960s
Paulette Goddard. Photo from: the-decophile.blogspot.com
Besides, the actress had asuperb collection ofCartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin, and Paul Flato jewellery and exclusive decorations designed bySalvador Dalí. Paulette Goddard never bought jewellery, but all her husbands and admirers were well aware what exactly she would bedelighted with. When she was not cast asScarlett in Gone with the Wind, the two presents became aconsolation toher: adiamond brooch from Jock Whitney, aninvestor ofthe film, and aset ofapair ofearrings and abracelet from her second husband Charlie Chaplin.
Two campers ballerina
Edgar Degas
1885
Paulette’s collection included works byDiego Rivera, whom she met inMexico during aphoto shoot for the Look magazine.
She was living inthe San Angel Inn across from his studio. She chanced tolearn that the police were preparing toarrest him, and she warned the painter. Helped byher, hecrossed the border, came toCalifornia, and told the reporters who were meeting him that Paulette had saved his life. Inthe years 1940—1941, Rivera painted the actress’s portrait. Hestarted itinMexico and finished inAmerica.
According toPaulette’s will, the painting was donated toaneducational institution. InJune 1999, itwas sold atChristie’s auction inNew York for $ 552,500.
Portrait of Flying Goddard
Diego Maria Rivera
1941
Remarque died in1970, aged 72, athis villa. After the writer’s death, Paulette occasionally sold items from her late husband’s collection. Alarge part ofitwas sold atSotheby’s inNew York in1979: 29 paintings and drawings byToulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Cézanne, Monet brought the widow $ 3,000,000. Two decades later, not only the collection was scattered, but Erich Maria Remarque was nolonger remembered asanart collector.
Paulette Goddard outlived her husband bytwenty years. She bequeathed $ 20,000,000 toNew York University (NYU) for the development ofeducational and research programmes. Toaccomplish her will, in1995, the university created the Remarque Institute. The main goal ofits numerous projects issupporting and promoting the ties between Europe and America. This iswhat Remarque wished himself.
The writer’s villa inPorto Ronco, Switzerland. Photo from: partmebel.ru
Recommended artworks:
Warm Evening
1993, 50×70cm
€2,000.00
Original
Tears of the sun
2024, 74×104cm
JUNE 18
2022, 40×30cm
€105.00
Original
THE PURSUIT OF ETERNITY
May2023, 80×60×2cm
€525.00
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Golden Nugget
2024, 90×71×2cm
€473.00
Original
Remarque’s villa was bequeathed tothe university, too. But the administration refused topay the inheritance tax of18,000,000 francs, sothe villa was sold toprivate individuals. Atpresent, the council ofthe canton ofTicino, Switzerland, istrying toraise money tobuy the villa out and make itaninternational cultural centre.
Text by: Irina Olih
The main illustration: afragment ofthe cover ofthe book Remarque’s Impressionists: Art Collecting and Art Dealing inExile. Inthe article, material isused from the book byThomas F. Schneider Networking the Arts: Erich Maria Remarque and Art. Cezanne’s Garden, and from the websites emrpg.org, strannik17.livejournal.com, paulette-goddard.fr, riveramural.org.
