Rogues and Scholars - James Stourton

In this book James Stourton identifies one single night that gave birth to the modern art market: October 15th 1958. That was the date of the evening sale of the Erwin Goldschmidt collection at Sotheby's in London. By Stourton's reckoning overnight London became the centre of the world art market and Sotheby's became an international auction house.

Starting his book in the immediate aftermath of WWII, Stourton charts the story of the art market from then until the turn of the millennium. His entertaining narrative is populated with the characters of the art world: eccentric scholars, old-school-tie reliant grandees, cockney and  traders and brilliant business people. As well as the auction houses and their staff the book introduces the growth of the London art gallery and dealers, from the old stalwarts to those who rocked the boat and grew a market: Anthony D'Offay, Sadie Coles and Jay Jopling among them.

Hardback. 424 pages

Measurements:

16cm x 24cm x 3.7cm

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