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Галерея пройдисвітів: Історія мистецтва й арт-дилерів
«Мистецтво для ХХІ століття — нова релігія. Купувати мистецтво — це як вияв релігійності: тут здійснюється акт віри. Намагання раціоналізувати цей процес шляхом аналізу ціни, заплаченої за видатний мистецький витвір, не має сенсу так само, як застосування наукових пояснень до трансцендентального релігійного досвіду», — пише Філіп Гук у вступі до книжки «Галерея пройдисвітів: Історія мистецтва й арт-дилерів». Це справді погляд під незвичним кутом — історія становлення професії на межі мистецтва й бізнесу, представники якої склали ціну безцінному й породили новий ринок, де жага до прекрасного в поєднанні з самолюбством і жадобою грошей витворювали чудернацькі сюжети, формували канони й визначали напрями розвитку мистецтва.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
85 people are currently reading
1387 people want to read
About the author
Philip Hook
16 books29 followersPhilip Hook joined Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Department as the senior specialist in 1994. Sotheby’s is the most prestigious Fine Art Auction House in the UK. He read History of Art at the University of Cambridge where he also won a soccer blue. In 1973 Philip joined Christie’s directly from University. He headed Christie’s 19th Century Paintings Department from 1980 to 1987. In between working at the two auction houses he founded a London art dealers, The St. James’s Art Group.
He has over 35 years of experience and expertise of the art market, he is the author of five successful novels set in the art world and his book Breakfast at Sotheby’s: An A-Z of The Art World was published by Penguin in November 2013. The latter discusses art’s value as an investment and its place in our society.
Philip has appeared regularly on The Antiques Roadshow (BBC) as a picture expert. He makes frequent public speaking appearances, covering a range of art-related subjects.
Philip’s latest book, Rogues’ Gallery: A History of Art and its Dealers (Feb 2017) exposes five centuries of history, scandals, big wins and horrifying losses in the international art world.
He has over 35 years of experience and expertise of the art market, he is the author of five successful novels set in the art world and his book Breakfast at Sotheby’s: An A-Z of The Art World was published by Penguin in November 2013. The latter discusses art’s value as an investment and its place in our society.
Philip has appeared regularly on The Antiques Roadshow (BBC) as a picture expert. He makes frequent public speaking appearances, covering a range of art-related subjects.
Philip’s latest book, Rogues’ Gallery: A History of Art and its Dealers (Feb 2017) exposes five centuries of history, scandals, big wins and horrifying losses in the international art world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 21, 2017
An interesting book about Art dealing, Antiquity and History. Philip Hook shares his knowledge and the unique perspective he gained over the years as a very well-versed art director and art dealer. This is a book filled with highly detailed stories and so much expertise.
But be aware of the fact that as a reader you need to display an impressive level of erudition as well, in order to follow sufficiently this work and of course a certain level of artistical interest otherwise the reading process will turn into a very tedious experience.
So, delve into this story about crooked art dealers that lack a moral compass, families who turn against their own only to gain money, people who will try to earn status quo through buying paintings by the dozen and museum curators that will do anything about a good exhibit. Enjoy!!!! I know I did, immensely.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK
- Wide historical range.
- Many anecdote stories, for example, there is one evolving J.P. Morgan. Also, The Art of Shopping is a very prominent chapter about art dealings in the USA.
- I loved the Wildenstein Dynasty chapter.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
But be aware of the fact that as a reader you need to display an impressive level of erudition as well, in order to follow sufficiently this work and of course a certain level of artistical interest otherwise the reading process will turn into a very tedious experience.
So, delve into this story about crooked art dealers that lack a moral compass, families who turn against their own only to gain money, people who will try to earn status quo through buying paintings by the dozen and museum curators that will do anything about a good exhibit. Enjoy!!!! I know I did, immensely.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK
- Wide historical range.
- Many anecdote stories, for example, there is one evolving J.P. Morgan. Also, The Art of Shopping is a very prominent chapter about art dealings in the USA.
- I loved the Wildenstein Dynasty chapter.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
March 22, 2021
Audiobook. Wow what a crazy history of art, artist, collectors, kingdoms, and art dealers. Popsugar 2021 Set in multiple countries
February 13, 2020
Як можна оцінити геніальність? Ні, не дати їй визначення, а скласти ціну? Які складові будуть у цій ціні? Що варто враховувати, а на що можна "забити"? А головне — яким чином переконати покупця, що ось цей шматок полотна, вкритий певною кількістю фарби, коштує десятки, сотні тисяч, а то й мільйони?
32489013. sy475 Про все це й не лише розповідає дослідник історії мистецтва Філіп Гук. Він створив цілу галерею портретів — ні, не пройдисвітів (хоча дехто зі згаданих у книзі арт-дилерів таким і був), а насамперед поціновувачів мистецтва. Звісно, вони заробляли неабиякі, а часом і дуже значні кошти, купуючи й продаючи полотна, однак якби не виникло цього виду бізнесу, хтозна, скількох відомих сьогодні митців світ утратив би! Бо багато хто з арт-дилерів виконували роль меценатів, підтримуючи й підгодовуючи художників, коли їм велося геть сутужно. Особливо це стосується таких новітніх на той час напрямків, як імпресіонізм, експресіонізм, кубізм тощо... Уявіть, яку віру в мистецький прогрес потрібно було мати, аби витрачати кошти на придбання якоїсь непевної "мазанини", причому десятками полотен, у переконанні що за років десять це вартуватиме в сто разів більше!
Ця книга — ще й неабиякий посібник із бізнесу. Щоб досягти грандіозного успіху в будь-якій справі, потрібно мати сміливість братися за те, чого до тебе ніхто не робив, дослухатися до своєї інтуїції, яка часом шепоче щось геть протилежне доводам розуму, дозволяти собі ризикувати й у жодному разі не опускати рук після невдач (а вони трапляються в усіх). А скільки тут живих прикладів вдалих і невдалих промоції, маркетингових ходів тощо!
Варто також відзначити роль арт-дилерів як популяризаторів мистецтва. Виставки, які вони раз по раз влаштовували, та їхні мистецькі галереї перебирали на себе освітницьку функцію: розказували й показували, що є важливим у мистецтві, яким чином розвиваються його напрямки, чому вони виникають, відкривали нові імена й "закривали" старі (таке також траплялося). До того ж виставки були масовим явищем — значно масовішим, ніж нині (принаймні в мене склалося таке враження), до дверей галерей вишиковувалися цілі черги, люди квапилися подивитися часом лише одне-єдине полотно.
Перелічувати прізвища, згадані в книзі, не буду. Хіба що одне згадаю: Пітера Вілсона, без якого аукціон "Сотбіс" не став би таким, яким він є нині. А ще ж є неймовірна Пеґґі Гуґґенгайм — шалена й смілива, племінниця того самого Соломона Гуґґенгайма, чиє ім’я носить всесвітньовідомий музей сучасного мистецтва у Нью-Йорку. Не можна змовчати й про Герварта Вальдена, який не вірив у жорстокість радянської системи й загинув у таборах ГУЛАГу... Проте варто зупинитися, аби простий відгук не перетворився в список "пройдисвітів", які мене особисто дуже вразили.
32489013. sy475 Про все це й не лише розповідає дослідник історії мистецтва Філіп Гук. Він створив цілу галерею портретів — ні, не пройдисвітів (хоча дехто зі згаданих у книзі арт-дилерів таким і був), а насамперед поціновувачів мистецтва. Звісно, вони заробляли неабиякі, а часом і дуже значні кошти, купуючи й продаючи полотна, однак якби не виникло цього виду бізнесу, хтозна, скількох відомих сьогодні митців світ утратив би! Бо багато хто з арт-дилерів виконували роль меценатів, підтримуючи й підгодовуючи художників, коли їм велося геть сутужно. Особливо це стосується таких новітніх на той час напрямків, як імпресіонізм, експресіонізм, кубізм тощо... Уявіть, яку віру в мистецький прогрес потрібно було мати, аби витрачати кошти на придбання якоїсь непевної "мазанини", причому десятками полотен, у переконанні що за років десять це вартуватиме в сто разів більше!
Ця книга — ще й неабиякий посібник із бізнесу. Щоб досягти грандіозного успіху в будь-якій справі, потрібно мати сміливість братися за те, чого до тебе ніхто не робив, дослухатися до своєї інтуїції, яка часом шепоче щось геть протилежне доводам розуму, дозволяти собі ризикувати й у жодному разі не опускати рук після невдач (а вони трапляються в усіх). А скільки тут живих прикладів вдалих і невдалих промоції, маркетингових ходів тощо!
Варто також відзначити роль арт-дилерів як популяризаторів мистецтва. Виставки, які вони раз по раз влаштовували, та їхні мистецькі галереї перебирали на себе освітницьку функцію: розказували й показували, що є важливим у мистецтві, яким чином розвиваються його напрямки, чому вони виникають, відкривали нові імена й "закривали" старі (таке також траплялося). До того ж виставки були масовим явищем — значно масовішим, ніж нині (принаймні в мене склалося таке враження), до дверей галерей вишиковувалися цілі черги, люди квапилися подивитися часом лише одне-єдине полотно.
Перелічувати прізвища, згадані в книзі, не буду. Хіба що одне згадаю: Пітера Вілсона, без якого аукціон "Сотбіс" не став би таким, яким він є нині. А ще ж є неймовірна Пеґґі Гуґґенгайм — шалена й смілива, племінниця того самого Соломона Гуґґенгайма, чиє ім’я носить всесвітньовідомий музей сучасного мистецтва у Нью-Йорку. Не можна змовчати й про Герварта Вальдена, який не вірив у жорстокість радянської системи й загинув у таборах ГУЛАГу... Проте варто зупинитися, аби простий відгук не перетворився в список "пройдисвітів", які мене особисто дуже вразили.
February 1, 2020
A very enjoyable read by the ultimate connoisseur, the erudite Phillip Hook. According to Sotheby's website he has been involved in the sale of every major collection since 1994, so we’re talking the creme de la creme here. No dilettante, that's for sure.
The reader doesn't have to be particularly knowledgeable about art or even the art world to enjoy this book. This is the filthy lucre side which people pretend to ignore. The dust of bails, the dirt of merchandise.
He approaches the evolution of art dealing chronologically. Beginning in the 1400s, quickening pace during the enlightenment period and an explosion in the 20th century with the arrival of American money.
All major art movements are documented (And the foremost dealer in each) right up to the most recent - Pop Art. He doesn't comment on the merits of individual styles as such although I don’t think one needs to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out his taste. Impressionism is his bag.
We meet every significant dealer of the last 250 years. All with intriguing stories, Some lovable rogues, some unpleasant oddballs, all art lovers. Duveen and Vollard were my favourites, especially Duveen whose muscle-bound docker bodyguard was more knowledgeable than he himself.
Although greed is very much part and parcel, not one of them were in it solely for the money, many ending up donating their own collections to museums.
Hook is a little less enthusiastic about the 21st century and its dealers. I felt the author is not that enamoured with American money or business practices.
To conclude you won't go far wrong with this well-written book. Packed with lots of interesting bon mots and unusual words. (I especially enjoyed “Peregrination” and “Coxcombry”). It’ll put the idea of buying some art in your mind, it certainly did mine and that's no bad thing.
The reader doesn't have to be particularly knowledgeable about art or even the art world to enjoy this book. This is the filthy lucre side which people pretend to ignore. The dust of bails, the dirt of merchandise.
He approaches the evolution of art dealing chronologically. Beginning in the 1400s, quickening pace during the enlightenment period and an explosion in the 20th century with the arrival of American money.
All major art movements are documented (And the foremost dealer in each) right up to the most recent - Pop Art. He doesn't comment on the merits of individual styles as such although I don’t think one needs to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out his taste. Impressionism is his bag.
We meet every significant dealer of the last 250 years. All with intriguing stories, Some lovable rogues, some unpleasant oddballs, all art lovers. Duveen and Vollard were my favourites, especially Duveen whose muscle-bound docker bodyguard was more knowledgeable than he himself.
Although greed is very much part and parcel, not one of them were in it solely for the money, many ending up donating their own collections to museums.
Hook is a little less enthusiastic about the 21st century and its dealers. I felt the author is not that enamoured with American money or business practices.
To conclude you won't go far wrong with this well-written book. Packed with lots of interesting bon mots and unusual words. (I especially enjoyed “Peregrination” and “Coxcombry”). It’ll put the idea of buying some art in your mind, it certainly did mine and that's no bad thing.
July 28, 2025
This was super interesting, full of anecdotes about art dealers and artists, and well written
July 8, 2020
I’d give this book zero stars if I could; the author’s tone is sexist, pompous and cutting of people he doesn’t like, and pandering to those he does. I’ve not read a book, except for Dancing with The Mummies where I’ve encountered such pomposity of an author (both ironically from the art world). Hook’s book is worse, as Tom Woolf’s Dancing with The Mummies is somewhat light-hearted, written almost tongue-in-cheek. Hook’s writing is not. He's disparaging of those outside his elite circle. He writes about the various art dealers throughout history, starting with Balthazar Gerbier who worked as an art dealer in the 1600s, and ends up in the present day, though as Hook writes in his introduction that he has “avoided where possible writing about those still living” because he “values good relations with my colleagues in the art world”.
This would explain why Hook writes glowingly of the Wildensteins, an art dealing family who have been beset by lawsuits over the years, who have been charged in France with alleged tax-fraud and have had their vaults raided for art not turned to rightful owners. Articles about the family’s evasive and corrupt practices are extensive, yet Hook mentions none of this, but writes “Without a strong moral compass the power of the Wildenstein as dealers and the power of Wildenstein as the ultimate arbiters of authenticity in at the artists in whose works they were dealing might represent a conflict of interest” (p 113 - 114). Seriously.
Hook is derogatory of women; he only writes about one woman art dealer in the book (even though there are many) Peggy Guggenheim, though not in a flattering light as in this example, “She deployed her lifelong enthusiasm for sex as an art dealing strategy” (p 252).
It's a brutal book, but illustrative of all that is wrong with the museum and art worlds. One only needs to follow the Instagram account,changethemuseum to read of the systemic problems within.
This would explain why Hook writes glowingly of the Wildensteins, an art dealing family who have been beset by lawsuits over the years, who have been charged in France with alleged tax-fraud and have had their vaults raided for art not turned to rightful owners. Articles about the family’s evasive and corrupt practices are extensive, yet Hook mentions none of this, but writes “Without a strong moral compass the power of the Wildenstein as dealers and the power of Wildenstein as the ultimate arbiters of authenticity in at the artists in whose works they were dealing might represent a conflict of interest” (p 113 - 114). Seriously.
Hook is derogatory of women; he only writes about one woman art dealer in the book (even though there are many) Peggy Guggenheim, though not in a flattering light as in this example, “She deployed her lifelong enthusiasm for sex as an art dealing strategy” (p 252).
It's a brutal book, but illustrative of all that is wrong with the museum and art worlds. One only needs to follow the Instagram account,changethemuseum to read of the systemic problems within.
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March 25, 2018Плиний утверждал, что, когда покупатель и продавец не могли договориться о цене картины, ее стоимость определяли на вес. Так произведения искусства больше не продают, но споров о справедливости их цен по-прежнему много, и не последнюю роль в этом играют арт-дилеры — серые кардиналы мира изящного. Появившись в современном понимании в эпоху Ренессанса, они стали связующим звеном между живописцем и покупателем. Первого они информировали о ходовых сюжетах, а второго о том, кого же стоит покупать. Не сказать, что художники были безусловно в восторге от работы с посредниками: так, основной причиной, побудившей венецианца Каналетто перебраться на несколько лет в Лондон, стал поиск прямых контактов с богатыми англичанами. Самые влиятельные арт-дилеры разных эпох, герои книги, по сути, создали нынешний арт-бизнес: рамы, вернисажи, трюки («Я припас этот шедевр именно для вас»). А порой они оказывали прямое влияние на развитие искусства: если бы Дюран-Рюэль в 1896-м не отправил картины импрессионистов на выставку в Москву, молодой Василий Кандинский не увидел бы «Стога сена» Моне, которые подвигли его заняться абстрактным искусством. Формирование предпочтений публики и соблазнение коллекционеров — другая линия повествования.
November 1, 2017
As interesting as the synopsis sounded, the book itself failed to live up to expectations. The history of art and its dealers before the twentieth century was rather quickly glossed over, then most of the book focused on 'modern' art dealers. The chapters were largely brief biographies of highlighted dealers who were apparently important to the various art movements, but for the most part, I couldn't tell you why they were important.
I finished "Rogues' Gallery" pretty much as ignorant of "A History of Art and its Dealers" as when I started. Perhaps someone already very familiar with art dealers, their history, and impact on art movements would find this book useful. From the point of view of an art outsider, I found it unevenly written, never scratching below the surface, unable to enlighten me on anything, and not a book I would want to reread to see if I understood any more the second time around.
I finished "Rogues' Gallery" pretty much as ignorant of "A History of Art and its Dealers" as when I started. Perhaps someone already very familiar with art dealers, their history, and impact on art movements would find this book useful. From the point of view of an art outsider, I found it unevenly written, never scratching below the surface, unable to enlighten me on anything, and not a book I would want to reread to see if I understood any more the second time around.
October 29, 2017
**I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Readers who wish to know more about the world of art dealing may want to pick up this title. Hook examines the world of art dealing over the last few centuries, highlighting key art dealers and their partnerships with the biggest named artists of their time. Hook examines how art dealers themselves did or did not influence artists’ works, as well as the influence art dealers had with clients and art appreciation as a whole.
This is not a narrative nonfiction but ideal for those interested in the art world. I learned much about the intricacies involved between artist, art dealer and/or auctioneer and art patron/art buyer. Some of the dealers highlighted led colorful lives; it was their deep appreciation in art, or in a few cases the almighty dollar, that led new art movements to become popular among buyers and collectors. I appreciated the research Hook did in order to create a very comprehensive look at western world art buying, with chapters featuring the United States, European countries and England.
This is a perfect book for anyone studying art history or who may even have an interest in working in a gallery, museum or even becoming an art dealer. Recommended.
Readers who wish to know more about the world of art dealing may want to pick up this title. Hook examines the world of art dealing over the last few centuries, highlighting key art dealers and their partnerships with the biggest named artists of their time. Hook examines how art dealers themselves did or did not influence artists’ works, as well as the influence art dealers had with clients and art appreciation as a whole.
This is not a narrative nonfiction but ideal for those interested in the art world. I learned much about the intricacies involved between artist, art dealer and/or auctioneer and art patron/art buyer. Some of the dealers highlighted led colorful lives; it was their deep appreciation in art, or in a few cases the almighty dollar, that led new art movements to become popular among buyers and collectors. I appreciated the research Hook did in order to create a very comprehensive look at western world art buying, with chapters featuring the United States, European countries and England.
This is a perfect book for anyone studying art history or who may even have an interest in working in a gallery, museum or even becoming an art dealer. Recommended.
February 6, 2019
A stunning collection and history. I loved this book so very much. It would make a divine coffee table book or gift.
July 15, 2019
Много интересных историй о людях, которые становятся одной историей - и она тоже передана по существу.
January 8, 2018
Oczekiwałem dużo więcej. Nie dowiedziałem się wiele o funkcjonowaniu rynku sztuki. Ani o tym, dlaczego dzieła kosztują ile kosztują. Poznałem za to zdecydowanie zbyt szczegółowo biografie kilku marszandów.
January 9, 2022
Філіп Гук
📖 Галерея пройдисвітів. Історія мистецтва й арт-дилерів
🖨️ Видавництво ArtHuss
UK UA Перекладач Павло Білак, Любов Базь
2019
Кількість сторінок 464
Ілюстрації Чорно-білі, Кольорові вклейки
Формат 165х235 мм
«Мистецтво для ХХІ століття — нова релігія. Купувати мистецтво — це як вияв релігійності: тут здійснюється акт віри. Намагання раціоналізувати цей процес шляхом аналізу ціни, заплаченої за видатний мистецький витвір, не має сенсу так само, як застосування наукових пояснень до трансцендентального релігійного досвіду», — пише Філіп Гук у вступі до книжки «Галерея пройдисвітів: Історія мистецтва й арт-дилерів» (2017). Це справді погляд під незвичним кутом — історія становлення професії на межі мистецтва й бізнесу, представники якої склали ціну безцінному й породили новий ринок, де жага до прекрасного в поєднанні з самолюбством і жадобою грошей витворювали чудернацькі сюжети, формували канони й визначали напрями розвитку мистецтва - так починається книжка Філіпа Гука, письменника, мистецтвознавця, ведучого телепрограми про антикваріат (1978-2003, the BBC's Antiques Roadshow), члена ради правління Сотсбі, одного з найстарішого аукціонних домів світу.
Я давно збиралася з силами її прочитати - не хотілося розчаруватися, хоча купила ще восени і з великими сподіваннями.
І що з того вишло.
Це майже 300 сторінок інформації, доволі складної для непідготовленого читача і дуже насиченої навіть для доволі вибагливого. Але книжка складається з главок, які прочитуються як коробка асорті за переглядом улюбленого кіно - не встиг оком клипнути, як вже третя ночі, хоча починалося читання у рамках боротьби з безсонням та одержання дзену. Тому прочитала я книжку за три вечори спекотного червня.
2. Дзен трохи гальмував, бо співпраця двох перекладачів над складним проєктом - це складно. Також складно розшифровувати реалії, для яких немає ніяких приміток, але якщо на це не зважати, то на вас чекають дуже цікаві знахідки. Або переробка "якби всім відомої" інформації з незвичного ракурсу.
3. Не буду спойлерити, але для мене несподіваною інформацією було те,
1.що на зміну парадигми у аукционах, коли вони стали працювати у тому форматі, до якого всі звикли, і тепер вважаємо, що так і було, вплинуло, наприклад те, що шеф Сотсбі у золоті 60-ті - Пітер Вілсон - був під час війни шпигуном британської розвідки, хоча автор це презентує як гіпотезу, але так захопливо, що читач вже не має в цьому сумніву, бо його "втопили у пелюстках троянд"))
2. кіно з Кірком Дугласом за книжкою Стоуна "Жага до життя" спричинило бум на Ван Гога після війни
3. Лоуренс Альма Тадема змінив стиль та става популярнимм завдяки своєму дилеру Ґамбару, якого Росетті називав "Ґембл-Арт" - азартний гравець від мистецтва, який створив митців як бренд, хочеться античності - Альма-Тадема, батальне полотно - леді Батлер, корівок - Томас Сідней Купер.
4. Висновки - книга цікава, незважаючи на вказані моменти. Особливо суперово було прочитати потім (зараз дочитую) магістерську роботу з мистецвознавства про співпрацю Christie's з НДР (KoKо) щодо торгівлі антикваріатом для надходження валюти до державної скарбниці за ще щось крім майсенської порцеляни . Одержала таке несподіване трьохвимірне враження, що планую написати розлогий пост про це трохи пізніше...
Тому, якщо ви або ваші друзі цікавитесь мистецтвом або антикваріатом, то ця книга від #ArtHuss- чудовий дарунок що влітку, що взимку, бо читається як справжній детектив і дає можливість подивитися на все, що було вам відомо про мистецтво з іншого боку. Несподіванки гарантовано.
📖 Галерея пройдисвітів. Історія мистецтва й арт-дилерів
🖨️ Видавництво ArtHuss
UK UA Перекладач Павло Білак, Любов Базь
2019
Кількість сторінок 464
Ілюстрації Чорно-білі, Кольорові вклейки
Формат 165х235 мм
«Мистецтво для ХХІ століття — нова релігія. Купувати мистецтво — це як вияв релігійності: тут здійснюється акт віри. Намагання раціоналізувати цей процес шляхом аналізу ціни, заплаченої за видатний мистецький витвір, не має сенсу так само, як застосування наукових пояснень до трансцендентального релігійного досвіду», — пише Філіп Гук у вступі до книжки «Галерея пройдисвітів: Історія мистецтва й арт-дилерів» (2017). Це справді погляд під незвичним кутом — історія становлення професії на межі мистецтва й бізнесу, представники якої склали ціну безцінному й породили новий ринок, де жага до прекрасного в поєднанні з самолюбством і жадобою грошей витворювали чудернацькі сюжети, формували канони й визначали напрями розвитку мистецтва - так починається книжка Філіпа Гука, письменника, мистецтвознавця, ведучого телепрограми про антикваріат (1978-2003, the BBC's Antiques Roadshow), члена ради правління Сотсбі, одного з найстарішого аукціонних домів світу.
Я давно збиралася з силами її прочитати - не хотілося розчаруватися, хоча купила ще восени і з великими сподіваннями.
І що з того вишло.
Це майже 300 сторінок інформації, доволі складної для непідготовленого читача і дуже насиченої навіть для доволі вибагливого. Але книжка складається з главок, які прочитуються як коробка асорті за переглядом улюбленого кіно - не встиг оком клипнути, як вже третя ночі, хоча починалося читання у рамках боротьби з безсонням та одержання дзену. Тому прочитала я книжку за три вечори спекотного червня.
2. Дзен трохи гальмував, бо співпраця двох перекладачів над складним проєктом - це складно. Також складно розшифровувати реалії, для яких немає ніяких приміток, але якщо на це не зважати, то на вас чекають дуже цікаві знахідки. Або переробка "якби всім відомої" інформації з незвичного ракурсу.
3. Не буду спойлерити, але для мене несподіваною інформацією було те,
1.що на зміну парадигми у аукционах, коли вони стали працювати у тому форматі, до якого всі звикли, і тепер вважаємо, що так і було, вплинуло, наприклад те, що шеф Сотсбі у золоті 60-ті - Пітер Вілсон - був під час війни шпигуном британської розвідки, хоча автор це презентує як гіпотезу, але так захопливо, що читач вже не має в цьому сумніву, бо його "втопили у пелюстках троянд"))
2. кіно з Кірком Дугласом за книжкою Стоуна "Жага до життя" спричинило бум на Ван Гога після війни
3. Лоуренс Альма Тадема змінив стиль та става популярнимм завдяки своєму дилеру Ґамбару, якого Росетті називав "Ґембл-Арт" - азартний гравець від мистецтва, який створив митців як бренд, хочеться античності - Альма-Тадема, батальне полотно - леді Батлер, корівок - Томас Сідней Купер.
4. Висновки - книга цікава, незважаючи на вказані моменти. Особливо суперово було прочитати потім (зараз дочитую) магістерську роботу з мистецвознавства про співпрацю Christie's з НДР (KoKо) щодо торгівлі антикваріатом для надходження валюти до державної скарбниці за ще щось крім майсенської порцеляни . Одержала таке несподіване трьохвимірне враження, що планую написати розлогий пост про це трохи пізніше...
Тому, якщо ви або ваші друзі цікавитесь мистецтвом або антикваріатом, то ця книга від #ArtHuss- чудовий дарунок що влітку, що взимку, бо читається як справжній детектив і дає можливість подивитися на все, що було вам відомо про мистецтво з іншого боку. Несподіванки гарантовано.
April 17, 2021
Delacroix called them “financiers du mystère”, merchants of the intangible, others were less kind. Art dealers played a huge role in our understanding of art history and art movements by promoting certain artists, embracing risks and following their vision (pecuniary or artistic) and profiting -or loosing their shirts- on the cliffs of public acceptance. This is a history of art dealers that covers the main characters and events in art selling for the last three hundred or so years, the period in which art dealing became a real job. It starts in Holland with pictures sold by weight, like a sofa; it continues with old masters being whisked out of Italian chapels and into private hands followed by catering to dominant tastes, as in the Victorian and Perrafaelites' era . We see the expansion into prints, the search for a buying public that might be more amenable to newer currents, the jump towards new American wealth, the promotion of genius and finding the new before it become unobtainable, ... and it ends with the eye-watering speculation on the haggle rooms of Christie's and the mystique of Leo Castelli's touch.
The book doesn't flow as well as it could and it shows its flaws as it goes from the biographical and the psychological make-up of these men (and a few women) to completely inane anecdotes. But there are some interesting points that are worth mentioning.
a) Art dealers straddle the world of commerce and art with unease. Why some people decide to tie their fortunes to creating a market for a luxury item like art is a mysterious process and the origin story of great galleries is filled with chance encounters, side businesses and unease. Some merchants like Jospeh Duveen or Frank Lloyd (Marlborough galleries) firmly believed in money first. Baron Duveen -yes, he was knighted- to whom some museums owe almost half their contents, was not beyond dodgy shipping practices, extorting from impoverished aristocrats, embellishing provenances, misattributing and even retouching a Degas or two to encourage sales. His lavish lifestyle demanded the extravagance and a venial expert like one Berenson to push a point or two. He had a genius for marketing and knew when to loose money to earn publicity. Other dealers navigated the frontier between art and commerce with more conflicted thoughts. Durand-Ruel, a stalwart conservative and a Catholic, championed the Impressionists and opened the American market to them at great financial risk. He is a fascinating and contradictory figure. But he always took care to cushion his art in respectable golden frames and mix it with known values There were even Marxist dealers like Herwarth Walden, a visionary that ended his days in a stalinist prison for his pains.
b) The sellable artists 'made' the dealer. This was more frequent than the reverse. Picasso practically made the careers of Kahnweiler, Vollard and others just by being Picasso. And the energetic faun made them sweat for it. But many artists also owe their ascent to the push they got at critical moments. Some will be forever attached to the dealers that championed them, like the aforementioned Durand-Ruel is eternally associated with the Impressionists, Guillaume to Modigliani, Cezanne to Vollard, Fénéon to Seurat and Peggy Guggenheim to Pollock. The relationship with living artists was fraught with ingratitude and loyalty in equal measure.
c) The marketing tactics around art are numerous and strange. From having spies informing gallerists about the mood of certain clients on any given day, to creating false bids, to making the auction house into a spectacle complete with celebrities and advance viewings, to contradict clients and swindle fellow dealers, the anecdotes abound.
d) People that deal in art know that the price of the object is completely based on two things, the desirability and the reigning fashion. But it is an object nevertheless and the two world wars proved the undoing of big names in the world of art dealing with their stocks seized or sold for nothing. That was the unfortunate fate of Albert Flechtheim who sponsored Otto Dix and German expressionists or Leopold Zborowski. Another odd characteristic of the art object is the top names command many orders of magnitude more money than the good names and infinitely more than the mediocre names. These aren't apples. These are scarce objects with a lot of added symbolic charge. The 'business' consists in unearthing those names and purchasing them while you can. Many dealers nurtured and financed whole careers expecting the jump to the top shelf of their protegées. Leo Castelli propelled Jasper Johns to the moon and back but also Motherwell, Roy Litchenstein, Warhol and Pop Art. Some dealers stick to what they know and never progress: Durand-Ruel never budged beyond Impressionist into Fauvism. Kahnweiler was adamant about an ever more pure Cubsim, that of Juan Gris and a distinct period in Picasso's ouvre. Others are much more comfortable with the next wave and the next.
One special chapter is dedicated to Peter Wilson of Sotheby's, a man who liked to shroud himself in mystery and practically snatched the glamour of art sales from dealers to the auction house. One finds the author a lot more lively when talking about this particular case. After all, the author is a veteran of the auction house world. The drama of the auction, it is true, can hardly be understated.
In conclusion, this is a fascinating account of the art world-as opposed to the 'world of art' which seems to go through completely different, more oblique and personal channels. But where commerce and art touch, sometimes sparks fly that alter both. And that is may be the book that is yet to be written.
The book doesn't flow as well as it could and it shows its flaws as it goes from the biographical and the psychological make-up of these men (and a few women) to completely inane anecdotes. But there are some interesting points that are worth mentioning.
a) Art dealers straddle the world of commerce and art with unease. Why some people decide to tie their fortunes to creating a market for a luxury item like art is a mysterious process and the origin story of great galleries is filled with chance encounters, side businesses and unease. Some merchants like Jospeh Duveen or Frank Lloyd (Marlborough galleries) firmly believed in money first. Baron Duveen -yes, he was knighted- to whom some museums owe almost half their contents, was not beyond dodgy shipping practices, extorting from impoverished aristocrats, embellishing provenances, misattributing and even retouching a Degas or two to encourage sales. His lavish lifestyle demanded the extravagance and a venial expert like one Berenson to push a point or two. He had a genius for marketing and knew when to loose money to earn publicity. Other dealers navigated the frontier between art and commerce with more conflicted thoughts. Durand-Ruel, a stalwart conservative and a Catholic, championed the Impressionists and opened the American market to them at great financial risk. He is a fascinating and contradictory figure. But he always took care to cushion his art in respectable golden frames and mix it with known values There were even Marxist dealers like Herwarth Walden, a visionary that ended his days in a stalinist prison for his pains.
b) The sellable artists 'made' the dealer. This was more frequent than the reverse. Picasso practically made the careers of Kahnweiler, Vollard and others just by being Picasso. And the energetic faun made them sweat for it. But many artists also owe their ascent to the push they got at critical moments. Some will be forever attached to the dealers that championed them, like the aforementioned Durand-Ruel is eternally associated with the Impressionists, Guillaume to Modigliani, Cezanne to Vollard, Fénéon to Seurat and Peggy Guggenheim to Pollock. The relationship with living artists was fraught with ingratitude and loyalty in equal measure.
c) The marketing tactics around art are numerous and strange. From having spies informing gallerists about the mood of certain clients on any given day, to creating false bids, to making the auction house into a spectacle complete with celebrities and advance viewings, to contradict clients and swindle fellow dealers, the anecdotes abound.
d) People that deal in art know that the price of the object is completely based on two things, the desirability and the reigning fashion. But it is an object nevertheless and the two world wars proved the undoing of big names in the world of art dealing with their stocks seized or sold for nothing. That was the unfortunate fate of Albert Flechtheim who sponsored Otto Dix and German expressionists or Leopold Zborowski. Another odd characteristic of the art object is the top names command many orders of magnitude more money than the good names and infinitely more than the mediocre names. These aren't apples. These are scarce objects with a lot of added symbolic charge. The 'business' consists in unearthing those names and purchasing them while you can. Many dealers nurtured and financed whole careers expecting the jump to the top shelf of their protegées. Leo Castelli propelled Jasper Johns to the moon and back but also Motherwell, Roy Litchenstein, Warhol and Pop Art. Some dealers stick to what they know and never progress: Durand-Ruel never budged beyond Impressionist into Fauvism. Kahnweiler was adamant about an ever more pure Cubsim, that of Juan Gris and a distinct period in Picasso's ouvre. Others are much more comfortable with the next wave and the next.
One special chapter is dedicated to Peter Wilson of Sotheby's, a man who liked to shroud himself in mystery and practically snatched the glamour of art sales from dealers to the auction house. One finds the author a lot more lively when talking about this particular case. After all, the author is a veteran of the auction house world. The drama of the auction, it is true, can hardly be understated.
In conclusion, this is a fascinating account of the art world-as opposed to the 'world of art' which seems to go through completely different, more oblique and personal channels. But where commerce and art touch, sometimes sparks fly that alter both. And that is may be the book that is yet to be written.
July 29, 2018
this quite a lot of fun to read and it races along . Although most of the rogues he describes are from the 20th century when dealers became more and more influential in the art market there is sufficient delving into 17th 18th and 19th century rogues to appreciate how far we have come to the present time when art has become financialised and a globalised vehicle for speculation and market manipulation something akin to bitcoin .
The book mostly centres on the great dealers of the 20th century who supported Picasso,,Monet , Matisse etc and who were not averse to tell the artist what sort of pictures he could sell best and told them to churn them out . Buy low and sell high . They all had their own strategies to get collectors to buy their masterpieces . The same tricks are used time and time again particularly the old favourite of telling the client that he alone has a unique opportunity to buy a painting at a special "to you "price whilst other buyers are waiting in the wings salivating as they hope to be granted their turn and their chance to buy . Going going gone ! whilst in the past dealers cultivated and schmoozed their buyers nowadays the auction houses have taken over with their huge marketing budgets , theatrical like auctions and super hyperbolic claims about this and that artist . Like the financial markets it is all about the next must have item . . The public don't hear about the extended credit given to the very rich , the non paying buyers , the 0% commission to sellers and the role of art in money laundering .
Dealers today don't have the resources to keep pace and hold stock for that elusive buyer to wander into their humble gallery . The legendary salesman dealers like Duveen , Kahnweiler , Wildensteins and recently Leo Castelli with his promotion of the American new wave of Rothko , etc are being squeezed out and the new dealers have become gallerists , curators , art fair showmen , luxury influencers and only seem to have " a space " rather than a shop . Bond street supports few dealers but a lot of clothes shops . They seem to be occupying the same lifestyle ground .
It should be said that Philip Hook is a Sotheby's board member so he may have given the recent rogues an easier ride that some past rogues such as Lord Duveen .
an enjoyable read with lots of dry wit and urbane observations
The book mostly centres on the great dealers of the 20th century who supported Picasso,,Monet , Matisse etc and who were not averse to tell the artist what sort of pictures he could sell best and told them to churn them out . Buy low and sell high . They all had their own strategies to get collectors to buy their masterpieces . The same tricks are used time and time again particularly the old favourite of telling the client that he alone has a unique opportunity to buy a painting at a special "to you "price whilst other buyers are waiting in the wings salivating as they hope to be granted their turn and their chance to buy . Going going gone ! whilst in the past dealers cultivated and schmoozed their buyers nowadays the auction houses have taken over with their huge marketing budgets , theatrical like auctions and super hyperbolic claims about this and that artist . Like the financial markets it is all about the next must have item . . The public don't hear about the extended credit given to the very rich , the non paying buyers , the 0% commission to sellers and the role of art in money laundering .
Dealers today don't have the resources to keep pace and hold stock for that elusive buyer to wander into their humble gallery . The legendary salesman dealers like Duveen , Kahnweiler , Wildensteins and recently Leo Castelli with his promotion of the American new wave of Rothko , etc are being squeezed out and the new dealers have become gallerists , curators , art fair showmen , luxury influencers and only seem to have " a space " rather than a shop . Bond street supports few dealers but a lot of clothes shops . They seem to be occupying the same lifestyle ground .
It should be said that Philip Hook is a Sotheby's board member so he may have given the recent rogues an easier ride that some past rogues such as Lord Duveen .
an enjoyable read with lots of dry wit and urbane observations
September 1, 2017
I received this ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Philip Hook has written a book that could easily be used in university-level Art History classes and probably should be. Rogues' Gallery highlights the vital importance, and occasional really dirty dealing, of art dealers ranging from the Renaissance to Contemporary era of European and American art. Without dealers, artists would often have been unable to sell their works and one need only look at the number of known artists who died in abject poverty to see that even a dealer selling at exorbitant markup was still putting money in an artist's hands that otherwise mightn't have gotten there.
Hook details the lives and business strategies of dealers such as the legendary Durand-Ruel, whose promotion of the successful Barbizon School painters and the edgy Impressionists drove the success of these painters, in spite of heavy criticism of the latter in the more formal Paris Salon of the 1860's. By keeping the work of the great Impressionists on display to the more open-minded British and American art buying public in London and New York, he allowed painters now lauded, like Monet, Renoir and Manet, to survive and later thrive. Likewise, the role of Kahnweiler in promoting Cubism and artists like Picasso and Braque cannot be overstated. Featuring dealers as diverse as the "thrillingly dishonest" Duveen and "gallerist" Castelli, Hook gives us an insiders perspective on making and selling art. For anyone well-versed in Art History, The Rogues' Gallery (still not sure I agree with that title in full) presents a fascinating look at a side of the art world that is little seen. Add to this the fascinating role of famous collector/dealers such as the rather scandalous Peggy Guggenheim, and all in all you have quite the appealing read if you're a lover of Western art.
Philip Hook has written a book that could easily be used in university-level Art History classes and probably should be. Rogues' Gallery highlights the vital importance, and occasional really dirty dealing, of art dealers ranging from the Renaissance to Contemporary era of European and American art. Without dealers, artists would often have been unable to sell their works and one need only look at the number of known artists who died in abject poverty to see that even a dealer selling at exorbitant markup was still putting money in an artist's hands that otherwise mightn't have gotten there.
Hook details the lives and business strategies of dealers such as the legendary Durand-Ruel, whose promotion of the successful Barbizon School painters and the edgy Impressionists drove the success of these painters, in spite of heavy criticism of the latter in the more formal Paris Salon of the 1860's. By keeping the work of the great Impressionists on display to the more open-minded British and American art buying public in London and New York, he allowed painters now lauded, like Monet, Renoir and Manet, to survive and later thrive. Likewise, the role of Kahnweiler in promoting Cubism and artists like Picasso and Braque cannot be overstated. Featuring dealers as diverse as the "thrillingly dishonest" Duveen and "gallerist" Castelli, Hook gives us an insiders perspective on making and selling art. For anyone well-versed in Art History, The Rogues' Gallery (still not sure I agree with that title in full) presents a fascinating look at a side of the art world that is little seen. Add to this the fascinating role of famous collector/dealers such as the rather scandalous Peggy Guggenheim, and all in all you have quite the appealing read if you're a lover of Western art.
July 5, 2020
P. Hooko knyga „Šelmių galerija. Meno ir jo pardavėjų istorija“ skaitytojui suteikia galimybę pamatyti meno rinkos, kaip atskiro mikrokosmo, istoriją. Joje pasakojama, kaip meno kūrinių prekeiviai, nepriklausomi pardavėjai, galerijų savininkai ir aukciono namų vadovai sukuria meno vertę ir legendą.
Ši knyga, ko gero, yra pirmoji atidžiai ir kruopščiai, bet įdomiai apžvelgianti meno pasaulio vadybininkų gyvenimą, istorijas apvelkanti detektyvine emocija, bei kvestionuojanti, ar tik vadybininkai, aukcionų vadovai ir kiti šios srities atstovai artimoje ateityje nebus pakeisti vadinamųjų influencerių.
Kaip parduoti tai, kas absoliučiai neturi arba turi labai mažai funkcinės vertės ir yra labai brangu? Koks fenomenas yra meno pardavėjai ir ar daug jie turėjo įtakos menininkams bei jų suformuotam stiliui? Ar buvo kas šventa Wildensteinų šeimai ir kaip Peteriui Wilsonui pavyko aukciono renginius paversti reginiais ir įvykiais? Į šiuo klausimus autorius bando atsakyti 4 dalių („Renesansas ir Apšvietos amžius“, „XIX a.“, „Modernieji laikai“ ir „Į šiuolaikinį pasaulį“) ir 17 skyrių knygoje, kuri pagirtina tiek dėl sudarymo, tiek dėl kalbos (nėra kalbinių kalambūrų ar riktų), tiek dėl tono (knyga skaitoma lyg pokalbis su pažįstamu).
Kokie knygos trūkumai? 1) Skaitant norėsis išguglinti vieną ar kitą pavardę, nes pateikti faktai pernelyg įdomūs, kad būtų galima skaityti toliau, 2) apims didus liūdesys, jei neturite jokių meno kūrinių, 3) tikrai bent 30 min. svarstysite, galbūt reiktų viską mesti ir tapti nepriklausomu meno vadybininku.
Išversta į lietuvių kalbą: NE | Įvertinimas: 9/10
Ši knyga, ko gero, yra pirmoji atidžiai ir kruopščiai, bet įdomiai apžvelgianti meno pasaulio vadybininkų gyvenimą, istorijas apvelkanti detektyvine emocija, bei kvestionuojanti, ar tik vadybininkai, aukcionų vadovai ir kiti šios srities atstovai artimoje ateityje nebus pakeisti vadinamųjų influencerių.
Kaip parduoti tai, kas absoliučiai neturi arba turi labai mažai funkcinės vertės ir yra labai brangu? Koks fenomenas yra meno pardavėjai ir ar daug jie turėjo įtakos menininkams bei jų suformuotam stiliui? Ar buvo kas šventa Wildensteinų šeimai ir kaip Peteriui Wilsonui pavyko aukciono renginius paversti reginiais ir įvykiais? Į šiuo klausimus autorius bando atsakyti 4 dalių („Renesansas ir Apšvietos amžius“, „XIX a.“, „Modernieji laikai“ ir „Į šiuolaikinį pasaulį“) ir 17 skyrių knygoje, kuri pagirtina tiek dėl sudarymo, tiek dėl kalbos (nėra kalbinių kalambūrų ar riktų), tiek dėl tono (knyga skaitoma lyg pokalbis su pažįstamu).
Kokie knygos trūkumai? 1) Skaitant norėsis išguglinti vieną ar kitą pavardę, nes pateikti faktai pernelyg įdomūs, kad būtų galima skaityti toliau, 2) apims didus liūdesys, jei neturite jokių meno kūrinių, 3) tikrai bent 30 min. svarstysite, galbūt reiktų viską mesti ir tapti nepriklausomu meno vadybininku.
Išversta į lietuvių kalbą: NE | Įvertinimas: 9/10
December 3, 2020
Probably one of the longest, but most enjoyable reads for me, ever!! But I had no choice. Understanding the character, mind-set, motivation, and qualities of a successful art dealer were all attributes I had to understand from an experienced hand. And there was no better avenue for me to gain this knowledge than to immerse myself in Philip Hooks’s Rogue’s Gallery. I ended up reading and taking notes from the book like I was studying for an exam. Before delving into individual biographies of the most important art dealers, past and present, Rogue’s Gallery is a perfect entry point into the origins and evolution of art dealing, and the dealers that have had a profound contribution to the profession.
For me, the appeal of art dealing stems from the opportunity to make a living from something you have a genuine and innate love for. Something may come naturally to you and you become very proficient at it as a practitioner, consequently earning a decent if not very comfortable living from it. But it doesn’t always follow that you love the trade or profession that you practice. For me, art dealing presents this opportunity.
It’s not a question of whether rogueishness, if such as word exists, is an inherent characteristic of the most successful art dealers. It certainly is a characteristic…..it’s just a question of degree.
It would be more appropriate to twist the ending statement to read as follows: ‘The history of art dealing is the story of ingenuity, inspiration and occasional acts of heroism interspersed with many varieties of human folly and duplicity.’
Justice cannot be done to you the reader, or to this book, by only reading it once.
For me, the appeal of art dealing stems from the opportunity to make a living from something you have a genuine and innate love for. Something may come naturally to you and you become very proficient at it as a practitioner, consequently earning a decent if not very comfortable living from it. But it doesn’t always follow that you love the trade or profession that you practice. For me, art dealing presents this opportunity.
It’s not a question of whether rogueishness, if such as word exists, is an inherent characteristic of the most successful art dealers. It certainly is a characteristic…..it’s just a question of degree.
It would be more appropriate to twist the ending statement to read as follows: ‘The history of art dealing is the story of ingenuity, inspiration and occasional acts of heroism interspersed with many varieties of human folly and duplicity.’
Justice cannot be done to you the reader, or to this book, by only reading it once.
February 20, 2021
It is no accident that when you think of an art dealer you think of someone with an air of culture, someone urbane, reserved and faintly untrustworthy. Someone who bridges the gap between artist and client with panache and mercenary zeal, slicing orf their commission and either using it to fund their own obsession for art or to purchase industrial quantities of Peruvian marching powder before predating on someone else's spouse.
As I have learned from exploring this book, this impression is based upon a litany of characters that are remarkable for their games, their brinkmanship and commercial acumen. By embracing one artist and not another as sponsor and champion, they hoist their charge into the heavens of artistic fame while consigning other talents into the dustbin of history. By whim? Perhaps. Perhaps it is more because they know just who the works will appeal to and, as we know, cash is king. Otherwise it might just be on account of the dealer's many foibles that an artist will end up selling their works at all... or not - look at poor old Vincent Van Gogh who never sold a painting in his lifetime but whose stock when through the roof after he died.
At the expensive end of the market, fine art, it seems, is a world of cloak, dagger, intrigue, deceit, hubris, despair and the weather is dangerously changeable. There are stories of poverty (artists), high society (buyers), snobbery (dealers), nazis (nazis).
Like soap opera but with more money and fewer winners.
Brilliant.
As I have learned from exploring this book, this impression is based upon a litany of characters that are remarkable for their games, their brinkmanship and commercial acumen. By embracing one artist and not another as sponsor and champion, they hoist their charge into the heavens of artistic fame while consigning other talents into the dustbin of history. By whim? Perhaps. Perhaps it is more because they know just who the works will appeal to and, as we know, cash is king. Otherwise it might just be on account of the dealer's many foibles that an artist will end up selling their works at all... or not - look at poor old Vincent Van Gogh who never sold a painting in his lifetime but whose stock when through the roof after he died.
At the expensive end of the market, fine art, it seems, is a world of cloak, dagger, intrigue, deceit, hubris, despair and the weather is dangerously changeable. There are stories of poverty (artists), high society (buyers), snobbery (dealers), nazis (nazis).
Like soap opera but with more money and fewer winners.
Brilliant.
September 7, 2017
Rogue’s Gallery is a history book about art dealers. Now, this is history and the author does use a lot of facts, but we must remember that this is someone’s point of view on art dealers’ history. Once we have made this point clear, I must say that Rogue’s Gallery is clearly targeting a certain audience and not necessarily artists. However, art teachers, historians, and owners of art galleries will find it interesting and even a rich reference resource. This is a non-fiction read so readers must not expect a lot of pictures, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book has a good number of images and photographs in both color and black and white. It also has a very complete bibliography and an index which are of great help to researchers but many times publishers overlook, so I was glad to see that in this book. The book is about 304 pages and I welcome that as I personally do not like very long non-fiction books. For those who would like to treat this book as a reference resource I want to share that the book is divided into four major parts: Renaissance and Enlightenment, the Nineteenth Century, Modern Times, and Into the Contemporary World. This book is not the authority on the history of art dealers, but it is a very complete resource that may offer users a great deal of room for exploration and discovery.
November 3, 2017
I am not typically a lover of non-fiction, and while I appreciate art I do not do a lot of reading geared towards it. However, Hook was able to draw me in with this intriguing, sometimes humorous and always fascinating look into the world of art dealing. This book gives a behind the scenes look into art dealing and would certainly be good for those who would like to use it for reference as well as those who are interested in the good, the bad and the ugly of the art world. I found this book to provide a thorough account of the relationships between the players in the dealer/collection process while still being simple enough for those of us not in the field to understand. Overall, I applaud Hook for taking a topic I had little knowledge about and making it interesting enough to keep me turning pages.
July 22, 2023
I promised myself to read books about art little by little. And here is the current portion: Rogues’ Gallery: A History of Art and its Dealers by the British art expert Philip Hook.
The book tells the art history through the biographies of iconic sellers of art objects, in chronological order from approximately the 16th century to the middle of the last century.
The most complete and entertaining chapters fall on the period from the appearance of the Impressionists to the time between the world wars.
It was fascinating to learn the role of art dealers in the dissemination and acceptance of the genres which replaced the classics: impressionism, cubism, expressionism, surrealism and other types of modernism.
I didn’t exactly understand why this work is titled Rogues’ Gallery since there is no talk of recognized swindlers in the volume. There are several facts about dishonest recognition of the authorship of a well-known artist, but in the section on contemporary art, such episodes are practically not mentioned. However, art dealers undoubtedly have an adventurous streak ))
It’s a curious book. It perfectly complements the general picture of the history of art among readers interested in this topic.
The book tells the art history through the biographies of iconic sellers of art objects, in chronological order from approximately the 16th century to the middle of the last century.
The most complete and entertaining chapters fall on the period from the appearance of the Impressionists to the time between the world wars.
It was fascinating to learn the role of art dealers in the dissemination and acceptance of the genres which replaced the classics: impressionism, cubism, expressionism, surrealism and other types of modernism.
I didn’t exactly understand why this work is titled Rogues’ Gallery since there is no talk of recognized swindlers in the volume. There are several facts about dishonest recognition of the authorship of a well-known artist, but in the section on contemporary art, such episodes are practically not mentioned. However, art dealers undoubtedly have an adventurous streak ))
It’s a curious book. It perfectly complements the general picture of the history of art among readers interested in this topic.
October 17, 2017
Philip Hook gives every art lover and every artist an invaluable gift. From the broad historical layout of where the art market came from to where it is going, to the incredible quotes that make the art of the sale seem so clear Hook presents a world in all of its complexity.
Its a practical matter of selling the ineffable products of an artist to those with fathomless wealth. And to that you end up with people who make it happen. Hook goes in depth with the characters who have made up this world.
To be sure its not for everyone. If you find buying art to be a fools game this will not convince you otherwise. What this work will do is show you the reasons why some art has been the source of great wealth, while others have found little if any economic value.
Its a practical matter of selling the ineffable products of an artist to those with fathomless wealth. And to that you end up with people who make it happen. Hook goes in depth with the characters who have made up this world.
To be sure its not for everyone. If you find buying art to be a fools game this will not convince you otherwise. What this work will do is show you the reasons why some art has been the source of great wealth, while others have found little if any economic value.
November 30, 2024
Книжка йшла мені ну дуже складно. Здалося, що книжка розрахована не на пересічного читача, який цікавиться мистецтвом, а на людей, які глибоко розбираються в темі арт-дилерства. Оповідь максимально насичена іменами і ведеться так, ніби читач уже має знати всіх цих людей. Також сподівалася все ж таки на більшу кількість якихось цікавих історій та дотепних моментів зі світу мистецтва.
Насправді не знаю, як правильно таке оцінювати, бо відчуваю, що більшою мірою проблема тут в мені і я просто не настільки в темі, як думала, але хай будуть оці середні три зірочки, хоч душа й просить поставити менше))
Насправді не знаю, як правильно таке оцінювати, бо відчуваю, що більшою мірою проблема тут в мені і я просто не настільки в темі, як думала, але хай будуть оці середні три зірочки, хоч душа й просить поставити менше))
April 12, 2019
Спочатку дане читиво викликало захват і оце щемке відчуття want more, далі стало потроху нуднувато, на Лео Кастеллі інтерес підвищився, але це вже були останні сторінки. Мінусам сприйняття сприяли неузгодженість текстових переходів, і почасти видумки автора (чи, принаймні, мій мозок ставив ці підсумки під сумніви, та ще й які). Оце все разом і плюс повторювана думка про те, що дилери - це щось середнє між актором, шахраєм і третім в особі двох попередніх склало враження, яке описати можна хіба що так - ну таке (хоча, не без інтриги).
February 6, 2021
Not for the casual reader. Hook is an erudite and pleasant writer who brings to life the various art dealers through the centuries- literally. It’s probably best if you have a basic knowledge of art history, but an interest in art is a must. Essentially, dealers sell,paintings for artists, for profit. In some cases, they influence artists themselves or influence the perception of a certain artistic style (as in Impressionism or Cubism). What comes through loud and clear is that dealers, like auction houses are not altruistic. Art is a commodity like any other.
November 26, 2023
The dealer is the builder of the elastic value of the artwork:
1. What determines the value of art is the spirit, the intellect, the aesthetics, and the fantasies that permeate and grow within the seller himself, fantasies in which the dealer believes.
2. Great art is priceless, and only priceless things can command a freer price. The dealer communicates with potential buyers like a believer.
3. The collector's mindset of the dealers, not easily out of the works, not only the price, but also in the selection of buyers, they are participants in history.
1. What determines the value of art is the spirit, the intellect, the aesthetics, and the fantasies that permeate and grow within the seller himself, fantasies in which the dealer believes.
2. Great art is priceless, and only priceless things can command a freer price. The dealer communicates with potential buyers like a believer.
3. The collector's mindset of the dealers, not easily out of the works, not only the price, but also in the selection of buyers, they are participants in history.
December 10, 2023
This book was a great lesson in the history of art, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a greater understanding of how the art dealers of the day contributed to the making of the artists we consider to some of the greatest of all time, especially the impressionists and modern artists. While their work wouldn’t have sold if it wasn’t fantastic, it made me appreciate that the artist who wasn’t hand picked by one of these dealers was likely to be lost to oblivion. Fascinating.
April 30, 2024
This book discusses art dealers throughout history. I had never real considered how one becomes an art dealer, nor considered what types of deals one must make as an art dealer. It was really interesting to learn about the career of an art dealer, how they make a name for themselves, how they make contacts, and all the underhanded and behind the scenes things that one never really thinks about. As an art appreciator, I appreciated this book.
October 17, 2017
Informative, extremely interesting and eminently readable, Philip Hook’s exploration of art dealing and art dealers is a real delight. Narrated in a lively and accessible style, with flashes of Hook’s dry wit, the book is a thoroughly well-researched and endlessly fascinating account of the art world and the art market through the ages.
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