“You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation,” was an ad campaign from the luxury watch brand which featured fathers smiling with their young sons, and mothers doting on their daughters. The ad was effective in that it broke down much of what we sell in our fine art business… Legacy.

Art conveys legacy in much the same way a Patek does. We are custodians. Caring for the work until a new generation adopts it, molds it to their own standards and hopefully is inspired by it. French master Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was the old guard when he met the younger upstart Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). They began a tete-a-tete rivalry which raised both of their artistic game. Matisse would paint bold lines and Picasso would retort with bold lines of his own. Picasso would develop something revolutionary and Matisse would one-up the design. Back and forth. They appreciated each other and the legacy they were creating together.

Having primarily specialized in Post-War art for most of my career, this 1901 original drawing from Matisse has just become the earliest work of art I’ve sold in my career. As such, I took time to review the prestigious labels which grace the verso of the frame: Galeria Guereta Barcelona, Frank Perls Beverly Hills, Christie’s Auction House New York, etc. Art conveys legacy and these labels remind us that we are mere temporary custodians of the artworks which descend through our collective history and hands.

As we gently apply our own label to the verso of this work, we prepare to send it along to a new, prideful owner for him to pass down as he or she sees fit. We like to think that, like a Patek Philippe, we have fulfilled our duties to “look after it for the next generation.”