Nourishment for the Soul – The Herrmann Collection of Prints by Pablo Picasso – A Christie’s Sale to Benefit Hunger Relief Organizations

Christie’s sale Nourishment for the Soul – The Herrmann Collection of prints by Pablo Picasso, from the collection of Harald Herrmann, opens online for bidding from 2-18 September, 2020. Harald Herrmann is CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County CA. Harald and Christie’s will be contributing a share of the proceeds to Second Harvest Food Bank Orange County CA and Feeding America®, the nationwide network of food banks and the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Second Harvest, a member of Feeding America, distributed over 42 million pounds of food to partner organizations in more than 350 locations throughout the county.

Combining Harald’s passion for giving back and fine art, the sale will include over 30 Picasso works spanning Picasso’s classical period 1904 to 1937. Highlight of the sale is Le Repas Frugal – created at a pivotal point in the penniless young artist’s career, as he transitioned out of his melancholic Blue period to the more optimistic Rose. The work has always been a favorite of the collector, and the image has taken on added relevance as the hunger crisis sparked by COVID-19 continues to unfold.

Richard Lloyd, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s, remarked: “If I were challenged to demonstrate the power of art to engage and enrich someone’s life, I couldn’t come up with a better example than the collection Harald has put together. He has derived great enjoyment not just through ownership, but also the process of selecting each impression and watching the collection grow steadily over the years. Perhaps there’s a link here to his current role leading a food bank, with its emphasis on nurturing and also making thoughtful decisions. His experience demonstrates that we can all become collectors, irrespective of budget, if we find something that speaks to us. The reward is not just the objects gathered together, but the journey each acquisition has involved. We applaud Harald’s decision to donate a portion of the proceeds to Feeding America and are honored to make our own gesture of support in kind.”

Harald Herrmann, Chief Executive Officer, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, stated: “I’m humbled by this opportunity to give back in a way that advocates for people in need. As hunger continues to severely impact our community, our nation and our world – having risen to unprecedented levels as a result of economic fallout and high unemployment due to COVID-19 – it will take all of us working together in whatever way we can to solve the hunger crisis.”