Belonging and Betrayal: How Jews Made the Art World Modern

by Charles Dellheim

The story of dealers of Old Masters, champions of modern art, and victims of Nazi plunder.
 
Since the late-1990s, the fate of Nazi stolen art has become a cause célèbre. In Belonging and Betrayal , Charles Dellheim turns this story on its head by revealing how certain Jewish outsiders came to acquire so many old and modern masterpieces in the first place – and what this reveals about Jews, art, and modernity. This book tells the epic story of the fortunes and misfortunes of a small number of eminent art dealers and collectors who, against the odds, played a pivotal role in the migration of works of art from Europe to the United States and in the triumph of modern art. Beautifully written and compellingly told, this story takes place on both sides of the Atlantic from the late nineteenth century to the present. It is set against the backdrop of critical transformations, among them the gradual opening of European high culture, the ambiguities of Jewish acculturation, the massive sell-off of aristocratic family art collections, the emergence of different schools of modern art, the cultural impact of World War I, and the Nazi war against the Jews.
 

Genres: Art, History, Nonfiction, Art History

672 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[Hit No · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish it was longer. It was an absolute joy to read it.

[Kidlitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The past few years have brought some very strong historical works on the Jewish relationship with art prized in the West, how a small group of men and women absorbed the cultural touchstones of the past, then influenced the rise of modern art and appreciation of non-Western works through collecting, curating and dealing. Inevitably the forces of anti-Semitism and the collapse of "civilized" Europe leads to their downfall, but through our recognition of their contributions and the support for the return of Nazi-pillaged family treasures, some consolation remains. A brilliant behemoth of a book, well worth the effort and the heartache it demands.

[Raphaelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book group chose this and if it hadn’t I probably would never have read it. Much of the early details were uninteresting to me. But as it reached the late 19th century and the beginnings of modern art it became more and more engrossing. By the end it was hard to put down.

[Eileen Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This highly readable account pioneering art dealers and connoisseurs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries is a great text and resource. The book sketches out the histories of such storied names as Wildenstein, Duveen, Rosenberg, and Berenson, as well as less familiar names including Cassirer, Bernheim, and Kahnweiler.

The research is impressive, and the book's inclusion of notable works and photos documenting key figures and artworks is helpful. But ultimately, the whole sags under the weight of detail, however fascinating. A timeline of notable events (including the foundation dates of galleries) might have been helpful, or perhaps a list of notable figures. Such resources might have provided a bit more support for the reader (certainly for me!).

Eventually I wandered off: I was both tired of constantly cross-checking all the characters (and their siblings and offspring), and not entirely sure of the book's thesis. There were indeed many, many influential Jews who figured in the creation of the 20th art market. But it was not clear to me what to make of that fact. While some early art dealers fell int0 this line of work after working in other retail endeavors, that was not the case in later years. It is also true that because of their exclusion in many mainstream cultural and professional circles, Jews were perhaps primed to look for opportunity at the margins. This is suggested by Dellheim, but not enough to propel the narrative.

In the end, I just couldn't muster the energy to persevere through chapters that swung from one art dealing dynasty to the next.

[Doron Erlich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and enlightening. Even though I am mainly interested in the looting during the Second World War, I enjoyed the earlier periods enriching my knowledge of art and Jews in the art world.

I do think there were too many “even so”s in the book and some inconsistent spelling.

[Malcolm Rheuban · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing look at world history through the lens of art and art dealers.