Provenance

The Bergman Collection, The Israel Museum Jerusalem. Charlotte Bergman, who died in Jerusalem on July 17 2003, one month before her 99th birthday, was unique among the museum's benefactors. She lived on the premises of the Israel Museum for three decades, and died there. When she made aliyah from New York to Israel in the 60's, the Belgian-born Bergman brought her collection of modern art with her and helped Jerusalem ex-mayor Teddy Kollek found the museum. As the childless widow of an English architect, she promised to bequeath her paintings, sculptures and ceramics by such 20th century masters as Marc Chagall, Raoul Dufy, Henry Moore and Pablo Picasso to the museum. In return, she asked to build a home within the campus, sharing its security. She wouldn't have to put her treasures in a vault. She could live with them and savor them with her friends. After her death the museum plans to keep the white, single-story house and its 200 art works intact. Although he would not put a figure on it, they are believed to be worth many millions of dollars. They include a portrait in oils of a young Charlotte Bergman by Dufy, a personal friend, and a set of small-format Henry Moore bronzes, among other works of Picasso, Braque and other great 20th century masters. This work by Antal Biro was part of her extensive collection that was partly sold in 2003.