Georges Petit

Georges Petit was the son of François Petit, who founded an art dealership at 7, rue Saint-Georges (Paris) in 1846. Within just a few years, the Galerie François Petit was among the most powerful firms in the French art market. After his father’s death in 1877, Georges Petit inherited the firm, as well as a château and 3 million francs. Petit began buying Impressionist works as early as 1878 and opened a gallery - Galerie Georges Petit - at 12, Rue Godot de Mauroy in 1881 which served as a popular alternative exhibition space to the official Salon. Petit’s gallery later relocated to 8, rue de Sèze in the heart of Paris. After Petit’s death, the gallery was acquired by prominent art dealers/brothers Gaston and Josse Bernheim-Jeune and their partner Étienne Bignou. The Galerie Georges Petit closed in 1933 and its assets were sold at auction.