"Selling Art" by Daniel Vildenshtayna

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first marriage (one of them had recently died) and his widow. The press regularly publishes new articles, and it seems that it smells like a major political and financial scandal, as they like in France - a question already raised in Parliament. But that's another story ...

Fully translated it, I certainly will not - a thick book. But I did sort of digest. There has been so far.


Text in blue - my. The text in black - translation from the book of Daniel Vildenshtayna. In the house № 57 on the streets of La Boesen located apartments and gallery Vildenshtaynov.

Nathan Vildenshtayn, osnovolozhnik dynasty, was born in 1851 in the Alsatian village Terkenrhaym (the Alsatian accent was famous). When in 1870 Germany annexed Alsace, he decided to stay in France and moved to Vitry-le-Francois, where he opened a trade fabrics. Art absolutely was not interested so long as one client did not ask him to sell the painting attributed to Van Dyck. Carried out an operation with a substantial profit, he suddenly realized, in essence, threw tissue and opened a shop rag. A year later he bought a painting by Boucher for two hundred francs, and resold for twenty thousand. This was followed by other fantastic discoveries, brilliant deal. All who knew him in one voice saying that he was the most gifted Marchand-century - his eyes was phenomenal: where others saw nothing but blackened varnish, he could see a masterpiece. [/COLOR]

When my grandfather began selling paintings, these names are worthless. As if they simply did not exist. Except for the brothers Goncourt whole life of these artists no one was interested. We can say that he opened them, pulled the light of day. He is one ... My grandfather was very far from the salon painting, which was in vogue during the second half of the XIX century. From all the rest, however, too - impressionism, in his opinion, was terrible rubbish. Nathan honored only paintings by old masters. At the beginning of the next century, he and his partner Gimpel opened a gallery in New York.
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 No, in the U.S. liked mainly British art paintings depicting scenes of hunting, dogs and horses. Valued by Hogarth, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Lawrence ... for wealthy Americans that British culture was like a page of their own history - as opposed to, say, Fragonard. Honestly, Fragonard came to mind an American client in the last turn. My grandfather was attacked on its American customers, who lived in Paris, the heavy artillery.

In the end, the Americans gave up and started to buy Fragonard, etc. - Grandpa knew how to persuade people. With regard English painting, even my father believed him. Well, I? I do not sell English painting. I have never in my life has not sold a picture by the English artist. You may ask: and why?
Yes because I am a fool!
In England a lot of good artists, and English painting is charming.

Incidentally, when a cousin of Felix with his appearance dummy defined in the New York gallery, the local staff nearly revolted. But gradually he became a great seller. Not a word more. Time does not matter. He was not afraid to buy at a very high price when he thought that the work is worth it. Among his clients featured the most famous names: Rothschild, Veil-Picard, David-Weill, Gulbenkian, Bestegi ...
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Some pictures from the life[/COLOR]

«Dieterle, Gerard and Dyubur

Already in the 1920-ies. father and grandfather started taking me with him to the renowned art dealers ... Those were the characters! And all completely different! Each had its own style, their tricks. It was they who created the art market, they're all invented. Without them, now, nothing would. I knew those who managed to survive the crisis of 1929, I must say, it was not easy to survive ...

On the Boulevard Malesherbes gallery located Dieterle, son of Marie Dieterle, artist and close friend of Corot. This Dieterle loved painting, his favorite artist was Corot. He was an expert on Corot and surprisingly well spoken about it. Play it could be hours. He could tell you all the big and little history of each painting by Corot. He could tell you about the pictures, signed Coro, but not written to them! .. His fellow artists, he did not deny anything. He knew that they lived in poverty. He also knew that his signature raised the price of paintings. So he signed them ... Corot was a wonderful person, very simple. Corot was simply the embodiment of kindness. Now I want to prepare a consolidated catalog of Corot - a joint project with the grandson Dieterle, and the choice of companion, as you know, not quite the case ...

In twenty-five meters from the shop Dieterle was named Gerard Marchand, Raphael Gerard. This gentleman at any time of the year wore striped trousers, a black frock coat and high stiff collar. His appearance was the most amiable and benevolent. The fact that this Gerard was a real robber. Bandit of the highway. Not that the pictures which he sold were counterfeit. No, they were real. He copied them - and irrevocably ruined! For example, a dancer by Degas: Degas painted them with charming monkey face. But by the decision of Mr Gerard restorer carved these faces from the pastels and replaced them with such puppet-head! Yes, sir. I will not explain what these works were irretrievably ruined.
Another feature of Mr. Gerard: he did not want to see in the pictures are no cows. The cows were in his presence of mortal danger! Look at the scenery painted cow! Immediately remove it to me! Cows can not sell it. Such work, we sometimes managed to save ... We were able to restore the cow. In my life I never had ever seen. M. Gerard was lucky that all artists - writers of his paintings have already died. Especially Degas. Can you imagine what would have happened if Degas saw the doll head on their work! The one and only doll's head. It would just kill this gentleman Gerard. He would have forced him to swallow his elegant high collar!

Seligman

Largest Marchand ... Magnificent mansion. We went together for a visit. Exchanged pleasantries. We talked about the weather. Never showed each other a single picture. Do not even shown frames. We had the same customers ...

Petrides

Grand Petrides ... This comic, this Petrides. It was the most professional liar of all Marchand. He lied as breathing - and his lungs were in good condition ... He lied on any subject! In a past life he was a tailor. Gradually, he formed a collection, and eventually learned to love painting. And then the war started. He took pictures from Fabiani other Marchand and sold them to the Germans. In those circumstances it was easy to make money. This went on for four years. Petrides amassed a vast fortune. After the Liberation, of course, the wind blew for him in another direction ...
Many years Petrides settled in our neighborhood. When we met on the street, he felt the lapels of my jacket. Joseph Dyuvin

I would say that Dyuvin stand above them all. Absolutely cynical Dyuvin, an Englishman of Dutch origin. Incidentally, he became Lord. To become a lord, have much to give, it's understandable, no? Well, Dyuvin given as needed - a lot of money to museums, a lot of pictures ...

Indeed, Nathan taught him everything here, and this very house.
In Dyuvina was one huge advantage over my grandfather and father: five months in the year he spent in New York. He had a mansion on 57 th Street and the most snobbish clientele America. He lived in London. He lived in Paris. This Joseph was omnipresent. And sell everything - furniture, paintings, tapestries, porcelain. He sold everything, with one exception - he never touched modern painting. This influence is my grandfather.

In Dyuvina who all his life dreamed of his son, was only daughter, so I replaced him a son, he was to me something of a godfather. What a pity! .. And I explained to him that you will first need to acquire the walls in the proper quantities. That is, first you need to buy a house. And then I take matters into their own hands, Daniel, I am building him a house. And indeed, he took matters into their own hands. He had a whole army of the best architects and a genius - Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright designed a house for Baker, Vanderbilt, Uaydenerov. This Dyuvin was also a genius in his way. Well, he was a goose! ..

My father and Dyuvin - watch their relationship was terribly curious. They worked together all their lives, bought a monstrous amount of things - often entire collections - chipped. And throughout their lives, they quarreled with each other. And how they managed to work together? And I'll tell you.

I was sixteen. One day my father asked me to go to London. I went to London. There I stayed at Hotel Claridge. When I came to him, his voice was no longer such a plaintive:

- What is it you come to London?
- I decided to enter next year in the University of London and came to know some details ...
- Ah, the university? Who did you tell? Tell me why you came, and Daniel? Do not want? Then I'll tell you: you came to buy Bush. Confess! Your father sent you to buy Bush!
- Bushe? What is Bush? What sale? What are you talking about? I want to go to university, Joseph ...
- Daniel - you are the same shit, like your father! You are not ashamed to behave with me?
- Yes, I do not know any Bush ...

Then he grabbed the phone and asked my father's room in Paris.
- George, your son is sitting next to me and powder my brains. He says he joined the University of London. Stop joking! He came to buy Bush, I know!
- No, Daniel will learn ...
- Well you and shit! So you've decided to bypass me, so what? Come on, laying out, do not deny it!
- Joseph, my son ...
- Wretch! Oh wait, you'll see what these will cost you Bush! I swear to you, little you will not find! I'll die, and not give up!
- Do what you want, I do not care! And I wish you will never find a buyer for them!

Such scenes were repeated constantly. A horrible scandals, just horror. But in the end both calmed down ... so it was this time:
- Can we settle? And, George?
- Okay, come on.
- So, buy chipped?
- Buy chipped.

Dyuvin and Berenson

Joseph was unable to estimate the picture. For he had an army of various experts. For the examination of the Italian primitives, he was an American Berenson, the famous Leonard Berenson ... It was a frail man with the habits of an aristocrat, somewhat tired, somewhat prim ... Dyuvin signed an exclusive contract with him and paid him a monthly salary. Berenson supplied Dyuvinu appearing all works of the great Italian masters, Dyuvin bought them and then reselling the American collectors. Before offering some picture Dyuvinu, he showed it to us. Therefore, we chose the first. If the work does not suit us, we could refuse. This agreement, as well as the related correspondence were to remain confidential. Top secret. No one show! Even after the death Dyuvina Berenson insisted that no one knew about our relationship, and I understand him - he demanded 50%of the profits from all transactions initiated by them!
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Every year, I spent three weeks in Tuscany in his villa at I Tatti. There I looked at pictures for hours of pictures, they were thousands ... He taught me to recognize the Italian primitives. We went together to the exhibition of Italian art ...
It is now considered good taste to say that Berenson was not talent, and with particular zeal is claimed by those who never even saw. [/SPOILER]