A French first: American gallery bringing artworks to Beaux-Arts exhibit.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A Los Angeles gallery is ready to step into the Parisian spotlight.

The Karen Lynne Gallery has earned big prestige points as the first American delegation--and one of just a handful worldwide--to show at the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibit in Paris this winter.

The United States has never before been represented by a gallery presence in the 100-plus years of the exhibit, meaning the American contingent will make history next month at the Carrousel du Louvre, under the museum's modern pyramid, in the French capital.

"There is so much history there and it's such an important show," said Dina Dalby, director of the Beverly Hills showroom. "It's such a great honor for the U.S. to be recognized and represented."

Many of the world's most famous painters and sculptors have shown at the Beaux Arts exhibit, including Gustave Dor6 and Edouard Manet. The Societe Nationale was established in 1862, and the exhibit has been held annually since the early 1900s.

These days, the show features contemporary painting and sculpture from living artists, with some works on display for sale.

"Hopefully it will increase interest in the gallery, Dalby said. "We're also hoping that this will be an ongoing relationship with the SNBA and give our artists the opportunity to have an international presence."

The show will take place Dec. 13 to 16, and Karen Lynne Galleries will be sending a group of nine painters and three sculptors to exhibit in Paris, among 12 delegations invited. The Beverly Hills gallery will have a preliminary display of the artists' work Dec. 1.

Three of the artists are Angelenos: sculptors Danielle Anjou and Doris Weinberg, and painter Anthony Barsoumian.

The other national delegations for 2007 are Serbia, Tunisia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Polynesia, Hungary, South Korea, Japan, China and Turkey. The ambassadors and official representatives of the represented countries are invited, including dignitaries and about 4,000 guests.

The invitation to the exhibit came this way: A woman from the show's Canadian delegation, Cecile Bond, was vacationing in Florida and walked into the Karen Lynne Gallery in Boca Raton in the spring. Bond was so impressed by what she saw that she called the exhibition's organizer and told the woman she had to see the work and invite the gallery's artists to participate.

The gallery was then subjected to a selection process and had to submit for evaluation. She selected 40 artists, submitting 12 pieces each. The Societe Nationale then chose 12 artists, who will each show one work.

The gallery also paid about $5,000 as an entry fee.

Karen Lynne Asher established the Karen Lynne Gallery in Florida 18 years ago, later adding another in Florida and one in Beverly Hills. She moved to L.A. this year to focus on the latters gallery.

The art exhibited in the Canon Drive gallery typically commands between $10,000 and $100,000 per piece, with large-scale oil paintings and sculpture making up the bulk of the works. The gallery carties only originals, and Asher specializes in helping collectors decorate, placing multiple paintings and pieces throughout clients' homes.

BY ANNE RILEY-KATZ

Staff Reporter