The Eberhard W. Kornfeld Collection was one of the most important European private collections of modern and classical art, with a unique focus on works on paper. Some collection highlights are offered for sale in this special catalogue, ‘Passion for Paper’. The works on paper not only reflect the collection’s focus, but also attest to Kornfeld’s lifelong dedication to the nuances, possibilities and expressive manifestations of works on paper as an artistic medium. His passion was always centred on the belief that drawings, watercolours and prints were not merely preliminary studies or ancillary forms of painting, but rather independent, intimate and often even experimental forms of expression that offered profound insights into the creative process. Not only was Kornfeld an art dealer, he was above all a collector, and an encyclopaedic one at that. Particularly striking was the large number of drawings that not only show technical virtuosity, but are regarded as evidence of artistic intuition.

In January 1945, Kornfeld joined Dr August Klipstein’s company in Bern as a trainee. Legend has it that he travelled from Basel to Bern by bicycle. Torn between a commitment in the field of numismatics or art, Kornfeld’s path towards the art trade was thus mapped out. The company, founded in 1864, initially traded in prints and drawings by Old Masters, but later expanded its catalogues to include more recent art up to ‘contemporary’ Expressionism. For example, Klipstein was a great supporter of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Käthe Kollwitz. Kornfeld embraced the new world wholeheartedly. The company’s expertise in works on paper was widely recognised, and Kornfeld was an exceptionally bright student and employee, so much so that Klipstein entrusted him with an increasing number of projects and eventually hired him permanently in spring 1948. During the summer months, Kornfeld visited print cabinets in Basel, Paris, London and Amsterdam, among others, thus continuing his self-education. In January 1949, the company held an auction of mainly Dutch and Flemish Old Master drawings owned by the late collector Maurice Delacre, who had died in 1938. Kornfeld wrote the manuscript of the catalogue, making it his ‘journeyman piece’, for which he was solely responsible. Dutch drawings were indeed the young collector’s first passion, and some works from the Delacre auction entered Kornfeld’s collection. A large part of these drawings was sold in the 2024 auction, ‘Old Master Prints and Drawings’ at Galerie Kornfeld. Following the unexpected death of their mentor and boss Klipstein in April 1951, Frieda Schuh and Eberhard Kornfeld took over the company, together with the Klipstein family. A few years later, Kornfeld became the sole managing director and gradually acquired a majority stake in the company. From 1972, he ran it as a limited partnership under his own name.

For many decades, Kornfeld was the sole author of the hundreds of auction catalogues. During this time, virtually all works of art in the company passed through his hands. And as he had a unique memory for images and materials, he immediately memorised all the nuances and deviations. There were probably few art dealers who held nearly as many works in their hands as Kornfeld did in his long career as a dealer and collector. Taking into account his published auction, stock and exhibition catalogues, as well as all the works not sold at auction, there must be several hundred thousand pieces that he examined in detail for their importance. His impressive and in-depth expertise made him a widely respected ‘scholar dealer’, a dealer who pursued his profession as a walking art encyclopaedia, with an immense wealth of knowledge and experience. Kornfeld’s collection spanned a wide range of works, from prints and drawings by Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Goya to French Impressionists and Post-Impressionist, as well as representatives of Classic Modernism and Post-War Art. Works by artists such as Chagall, Degas, Giacometti, Kirchner, Klee and Picasso engage in a rich dialogue spanning centuries of art history. Eager to share his encyclopaedic knowledge with others, Kornfeld wrote and published epoch-making catalogues raisonnés of prints, setting new standards in the process. It all began with Paul Klee, followed by Marc Chagall, Paul Gauguin and Alberto Giacometti, and the standard works on the prints of Pablo Picasso, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Käthe Kollwitz were also published in-house. Publishing the catalogues raisonnés led him to collect even more. He bought rarities, complete series and different printing states.

Kornfeld, however, was not only an auctioneer. As a gallery owner and art dealer, he also maintained close and friendly business contacts with artists of his time such as Marc Chagall, Sam Francis, Alberto Giacometti, Joan Mitchell, Pablo Picasso, Niki de Saint-Phalle and Jean Tinguely, to name only a few. These friendships also left their mark on his collection. Over the decades, he developed an extensive network with artists, collectors and museums worldwide. His focus was always on works on paper, as they were more direct, rawer and often more unadulterated than paintings. Selecting these works revealed his unerring personal eye for quality. Kornfeld was not just a collector; he was someone who was intimately familiar with art. His closeness is especially evident in works on paper. Frequently on a smaller scale, they are more intimate and typically bear a date, signature or even a personal dedication. Viewers can enter into an immediate dialogue with the artist.

The present catalogue, ‘Passion for Paper’, adds visibility to this impressive dialogue and allows us to experience the remarkable relationship between medium, artist and collector. Although Kornfeld bequeathed a few selected pieces to museums, he did not want the remaining works to be lost in a museum storeroom. After his death, he wanted his eclectic collection, which had been built up over more than 70 years, to be added to other collections. He wanted the works to be in the hands of people who love and appreciate art as much as he did during his lifetime. We would like to thank the Kornfeld family for their confidence in our company, which we will continue to lead into the future in Ebi’s spirit.