Lucien loved basking in the sun, playing beach volleyball, and being surrounded by people. He collected all kinds of things: lions of every sort, a nod to his zodiac sign; books across many genres; scarves; and, of course, art.
He came to Brazil from France in 1948, in the aftermath of the Second World War. Arriving in Rio de Janeiro at the age of sixteen, he began a new life, built a family, and became a jeweler.
He established himself independently, relying on his confidence and determination. His goal was never to simply attract clients and sell. What truly mattered to him was his craft, to create and building a name of his own. He dreamed of becoming the best, and went on to be recognized as Brazil’s first designer-jeweler.
In 1965, Lucien opened his store in Copacabana with a lavish exhibition of jewelry by the French house Boucheron, becoming its exclusive representative in Brazil. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he expanded his presence with stores in Brazil’s two largest cities and offices across the country.
He created exclusive jewelry in collaboration with two renowned Brazilian painters, Aldemir Martins and Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, as well as the Ecuadorian master Oswaldo Guayasamín.
Lucien wanted to give something back to the country and the people who had welcomed him so warmly, and art was the way he chose to do so. From 1985 onward, he began devoting himself increasingly to his other great passion, collecting art.
He founded the Lucien Finkelstein Foundation and, in 1995, opened the International Museum of Naïve Art of Brazil, bringing together works from his private collection.
Lucien collected paintings out of passion, but his relationship with artists went far beyond acquiring their work. He became friends with many of them, and for others provided a regular monthly income in exchange for some works they created, giving them greater stability and the freedom to continue creating.
Lucien Finkelstein died in Rio de Janeiro in 2008.