1st Edition
Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market The Rudolphe Kann Collection
Based on an extensive and very meticulous study of different archives and the evaluation of original, previously unpublished, archival material, this book highlights the key aspects and trends of the European and American art markets in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
In particular, the book focuses on how these markets influenced each other from the viewpoint of one of the most prominent museum directors of this period, Wilhelm von Bode (1845–1929). Given the complexity of the topic, the book is structured into two parts. The first part focuses on Bode’s interactions with the German banker and dedicated art collector based in Paris, Rudolphe Kann (1845–1905). The second part follows the sale of the Kann Collection to the dealer Joseph Duveen and follows on the relationship between Bode, Duveen and the American collectors.
The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, museum studies, and the art market.
Introduction 1. Setting the Scene 2. Rudolphe Kann: Collector and Connoisseur 3. Museum at Home: Building the Kann Collection 4.The Power of Connections: Rudolphe Kann's International Network of Advisers and Dealers 5. Navigating the International Art Market: Rudolphe Kann's Competition in Building His Art Collection 6. The Destiny of Rudolphe Kann's Collection 7. Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market Conclusion
Biography
Michaela Watrelot, PhD is the Head Curator at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation.
“This meticulously researched book offers the first systematic examination of the Rudolphe Kann collection, exploring its significance in the context of American competition in the transatlantic art market. Furthermore, it provides invaluable insights into the afterlife of the collection that emerged in the dynamic relationship between two art world powerhouses, Wilhelm Bode and the Duveen Brothers.”
--Lynn Catterson, Independent Researcher
“Michaela Watrelot's diligent profile of the fabled, Frankfurt-born collector Rudolf Kann – and particularly Kann's relationships with the illustrious picture dealer Charles Sedelmeyer (1837–1925) and renowned museum man Wilhelm Bode (1845 –1929) – marks an essential contribution to the history of collecting Dutch pictures in fin-de-siècle Paris. Watrelot's monograph merits both our attention and approbation.”
--Michael J. Ripps, Scholar and Dealer, Koetser Gallery, Zurich
