A connoisseur was not simply a buyer, but a historian to whom collecting meant becoming a link with previous civilizations, gathering objects which, in his possession, placed him in a historial continuum. Collecting lasted a lifetime, and it meant buying and protecting each piece.

Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Berge Collection

Yves Saint Laurent was also this type of collector. His houses in Normandy, Paris, Tangier and Morocco were filled with exquisite pieces. Nothing was bought having a future sale in mind, just for personal joy. However, after his death, the collection was auctioned.

José Prudencio Guerrico collected French, Spanish and Italian painters of the 19th Century. He was a true art lover, free of any comercial interest. His collection can be seen today at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, precisely as it was displayed in his house on Corrientes 1891. That was the only condition.

Guerrico collection at the MNBA

Time was all you needed, some money and lots of dedication. Today there are no such collectors. It might be because of the speed we live by, or the obsession for money. Whatever the explanation, people buy art for other reasons. Maybe instant gratification. Or as an asset to re-sell later. If so, where is the pleasure of collecting? What about the need to preserve History?

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