African art in Paris: unique auction of private collection

African art in Paris: unique auction of private collection

Begun by Pierre Verite and his son Claude in the 1920s, the collection features works mostly from France's former colonies in West and Central Africa.

Though it was kept out of public view for most of the 20th century, the collection made a big impression on celebrated artists such as Picasso, Matisse and surrealist Andre Breton, who saw it in the 1930s, according to the AP.