In 2018, art historian Pauline Pavec and artist Quentin Derouet founded Pavec gallery in Paris, just steps from Place des Vosges. Dedicated to reinterpreting modern art through the lens of contemporary sensibilities, the gallery is more than an exhibition space: it is a site of reflection, where works from the 19th and 20th centuries are brought back into circulation and set into dialogue with the present and with living artists.
Pavec has presented major works from the history of 19th and 20th-century art and represents the estates of emblematic figures such as Robert Malaval, Jacqueline Lamba, Juliette Roche, Madeleine Dinès, and Jacques Prévert. These historical legacies are brought into resonance with the practices of contemporary artists including Mathilde Rosier, Flora Moscovici, and Isabelle Daëron.
Through a rigorous curatorial approach, the gallery explores overlooked figures, forgotten movements, avant-garde and key chapters of art history. It publishes scholarly catalogues, takes part in leading international art fairs, and maintains a strong, independent voice.
The gallery has also established a dedicated research center focused on the rediscovery of historical artists. It collaborates closely with curators, sociologists, researchers, art historians, and institutions to deepen the understanding of works that remain little-known yet essential.