PARIS.- On 26 March, Christie's will present Marcel Nies: a private passion. Taking place just days after the 2026 edition of TEFAF Maastricht, the sale pays tribute to one of the fair's most respected and influential figures. While Marcel Nies is widely regarded as a cornerstone of TEFAF for his role and expertise in the field of Asian art, the sale on 26 March at Christie's will reveal a very different, far more discreet and largely unknown facet of his collecting journey. For decades, Marcel Nies has quietly nurtured a deep and personal passion for the arts of Africa and Oceania. With the same uncompromising rigor that has earned him the esteem of leading international institutions, he has assembled over the years a collection of striking breadth and coherence. On 26 March, Christie's will offer a selection of 48 works of remarkable quality, with a total estimate of €2–3 million.

Marcel Nies, a Figure of Reference. Marcel Nies's path as a collector evolved since the early 1970s into a profound and personal pursuit, shared with his wife, Annick. He soon established himself as a leading figure, equally respected by scholars and collectors alike.

Renowned for the acuity of his eye and the breadth of his expertise in Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian art, Marcel Nies has contributed through numerous publications and exhibitions to a refined, nuanced and deeply respectful understanding of these traditions. This scholarly approach, consistently guided by aesthetic exactingness, permeates his entire journey as a collector.

Beyond the exceptional quality of the works he has assembled and presented over the decades, Marcel Nies is also admired for his personal qualities. Known for his discretion and restraint, he embodies a form of intellectual and moral refinement grounded in integrity, modesty and an unwavering fidelity to the works themselves, values that have earned him enduring and unanimous respect within the art world.

A Remarkable Collection. Built over several decades with uncompromising selectivity, the collection privileges works of outstanding quality and striking formal power. Each object was chosen for its ability to evoke a singular emotion and to meet the highest aesthetic standards. Marcel Nies's eye thus encompasses a remarkable richness of styles from across Africa and Oceania.

A Striking Ensemble of Masks. The collection includes an exceptional group of masks, which is one of the most compelling chapters of the sale. Fascinated by the focused concept of 'The Mask', Marcel Nies acquired a striking ensemble characterized by powerful forms and convincing expressions. While some examples embody the most classical canons, each asserts its own distinctive character. A Punu mask is distinguished by a coiffure of great rarity, while others belong to unique or extremely rare stylistic expressions: a three-faced Ligbi mask, a double Senufo mask, and a Songye mask of striking naturalism. Together, these works bear witness to the collector's insatiable curiosity and his enduring attraction to rarity.

Masters' Hands. Several works in the collection are attributed to major African artists who departed from established conventions to develop deeply singular and personal visual languages. Together, they form one of the pillars of Marcel Nies's collection.
A Fang figure, an iconic presence within the ensemble, embodies the classical canons of this tradition while conveying a universal and timeless image. Its close stylistic proximity to the Fang statue from the former Frank Crowninshield collection, now housed at the Saint Louis Art Museum, allows for a confident attribution to the same hand.

A Bété mask attributed to the “Master of Gonaté” belongs to an extremely limited corpus, the closest examples of which are today held in the Rietberg Museum in Zurich. It represents the first exhibited witness of such a rare and illustrious group. The mask was shown in 1923 by Marius de Zayas at the Whitney Studio Gallery, as part of one of New York's earliest avant-garde exhibitions devoted to the work of Pablo Picasso and the arts of Africa.

Finally, a pulley from the former collection of Paul Guillaume—displayed in his Paris apartment in the 1930s—is attributed to the renowned “Master of Bouaflé,” regarded as one of the most accomplished African artists.

“This group of sculptures, which has shaped our surroundings over the past decades, truly encapsulates our private passion of collecting art, which is everlasting. My philosophy as a collector is that there comes a time when it is necessary to part with an object you cherish, to make way for new ventures and discoveries.”