In this second video, Cécile Raymond, assistant librarian, focuses on the art dealers’ catalogues that can be consulted by everyone on the fourth floor of the Hôtel Lévis-Mirepoix, in the library of the Fondation Custodia.

Among the thousands of works devoted to the history of art kept in the library, the Fondation Custodia has a large collection of dealers’ catalogues (from nearly 700 different institutions). These documents are published by the art dealers themselves, sometimes at the time of an exhibition, in order to give their clients a description of the works they offer for sale.

In the catalogues, they disclose their research in complete entries, with bibliographical notes, constituting a considerable source of information on these artworks. In recent years these catalogues have been reorganised and completed at the library. They are progressively entered into the SUDOC (collective catalogue of French research libraries) and are thus more visible and accessible to readers. They can be consulted at the library of the Fondation Custodia by appointment.