Jean-Gabriel Peyre (1941-2026)

Jean-Gabriel Peyre, a distinguished French art dealer and expert in antique ceramics, passed away on March 27 at the age of 85. Originally a fashion professional who worked for Jacques Esterel, Peyre transitioned to the art world in the late 1960s, establishing himself as a preeminent specialist in European ceramics from the 16th to 18th centuries. Based in Paris and later Aix-en-Provence, he was particularly renowned for his expertise in French faience and his significant personal collection of Apt ceramics.

Peyre was a pillar of the French institutional art market, serving as the president of the Compagnie Nationale des Experts for over a decade and briefly leading the Syndicat des Négociants en Art. His contributions to the field were recognized by the French government with his appointment as an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. His death marks the loss of a key figure in the connoisseurship and trade of historical decorative arts in France.