Jacques Doucet

From the 1880s through to the 1920s French fashion designer and art collector Jacques Doucet had an opulent life with a wealthy client base of actresses and Parisian society women. Doucet owned a shop that he had inherited from his mother, which allowed him to slowly build a fortune to spend on the arts. In 1912 he sold a large part of his early art collection, generating almost 14 million francs in a public auction. In additionally being one of the most expensive sales of the day, it was also meticulously documented and catalogued by art historians and museum curators.

Doucet began collecting modern and contemporary works, including pieces by Manet, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Matisse, and Miró. In 1924 he bought the controversial oil painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon from Picasso for 25,000 francs. One year later Doucet’s fashion company was merged with another, which continued to operate until 1937, with him continuing to add to his extensive art collection.

Doucet was also keen on understanding the study of art history, commissioning research programmes to establish a library covering art from all periods in history across the world. The collection grew and grew to include autographed letters, journals, and manuscripts, with a general bibliography having a first edition published in 1910. Seven years later Doucet donated his art history library to the University of Paris, with it eventually becoming the National Institute of Art History, Jacques Doucet Collection in 2003.

Away from fashion and art Doucet also spent time sailing. In 1900 he participated in both 2-3 ton class races at the Paris Olympics, winning silver in each event.