Many Steinberg canvases are on permanent exposition at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, and many top-notch museums outside Russia.
"I am willing to make a gift of Steinberg paintings to the Centre Pompidou-but not before they make the request, and promise to put them on permanent show," Mr. Bernard said to the Russky Courier, popular Moscow-based daily.
Claude Bernard first found his way to Steinberg's studio as he came to Moscow, back in the mid-1980s, to have a glimpse of contemporary Soviet art. Edward Steinberg was living from hand to mouth. Close on three hundred paintings had never left his studio. The poetic beauty and musical quality of the pictures profoundly impressed the French guest. "I discerned behind them the sublime traditions of the Russian avant-garde-especially Malevich," he reminisces. Mr. Bernard determined to make a one-man show in Paris. Long efforts were ahead to persuade Soviet bosses to let the artist across the Iron Curtain.
Contacts on the two Foreign Ministries helped the gallery owner arrange a maiden Steinberg show in Paris, 1988. Another four followed in Paris, and more in New York City, Brussels and Cologne.
The Claude Bernard gallery opened close on fifty years ago. Forty years ago, it had Kandinsky's india ink drawings on display. More Russian shows came on.
Mr. Bernard had been for many years close friend of Svyatoslav Richter, renowned Soviet pianist. "He played every day in my place" early in the 1970s, says the art dealer. Mr. Bernard arranged the issue of several Richterrecords-Mozart, Haydn and other classics. "Russian culture penetrates me, I daresay," he remarked.
