An anonymous French collector has donated 109 major works to several museums in France, it was announced in Paris on October 20th 2000. This important donation will be shared between the museums of Orsay, Rennes, Grenoble, Quimper and the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence. The collection consists of rare works by Cézanne, Picasso, Mondrian or Giacometti. The donor was believed to Philippe Meyer, a scientist of international stature, whose father André Meyer was a financial advisor to the White House during World War Two after he had sought refuge in the U.S then.
Philippe Meyer has already offered many works to the French State in a recent past sharing his father's passion for art. The latter had acquired many works during his lifetime, notably by Cézanne, Manet, Renoir, Fantin-Latour, Bonnard, Vuillard or Marquet. He completed his father's collection with works by Giacometti, Balthus, Morandi, Fautrier, de Stael or Hammershoï. The 109 works have been donated to the museums on condition that they will become the property of the State only after Philippe Meyer's death. In the meantime, they will be loaned for various exhibitions. The Orsay Museum in Paris will alone receive 27 of the works donated.
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