Roberto Polo: The Eye - Hardcover

Lock, Leon; Adriaenssens, Werner; Alcouffe, Daniel; Aubry, Francoise; Fohl, Thomas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0711232520 ISBN 13: 9780711232525

Publisher: White Lion Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

This book explores a selection of hundreds of masterpieces from the extraordinary art and jewellery collections formed by the legendary art connoisseur and museum benefactor Roberto Polo.

At an early age, Roberto Polo revealed a powerful talent as a visual artist and was described as 'an art prodigy', exhibiting his work in major art museums and galleries in America. Thanks to his profound knowledge of art history and theory, he also revealed an astonishing talent for identifying exceptional art and jewellery from many periods and origins. Educated at The Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C., where he was appointed professor at the precocious age of sixteen, and at Columbia University in New York, at the age of twenty-four he conceived and organised the now landmark exhibition Fashion as Fantasy (1975) featuring work especially created for him by artists including Andy Warhol, Robert Motherwell, Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Paco Rabanne and Guy Bourdin.

Roberto Polo was instrumental in founding Citibank's Fine Art Investment Services, the first department of its kind in the banking industry. In 1981, he left Citibank and incorporated PAMG Inc., his company specialised in art and jewellery investment advisory. During this period, he formed magnificent collections of French eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century fine and decorative art, and jewellery, collections described as 'anthological'. In 1988, he suffered a Kafkaesque fall, from which he rose in 1995, defending historical design and Modernism through Galerie Historismus, first in Paris and then in Brussels, where he resides. Often described as 'the trendsetter of the art market', Roberto Polo continues to follow the edict that one should only acquire works of art which were revolutionary in their time and have fallen into oblivion.

Exquisitely illustrated with over 300 colour photographs, Roberto Polo: The Eye includes texts by Daniel Alcouffe, former Chief Curator of the Department of Decorative Art of the Musée du Louvre, Dr. Thomas Föhl, member of the Board of Directors of the Klassik Stiftung in Weimar, and Françoise Aubry, Chief Curator of the Musée Victor Horta. This book is a fascinating insight into a man described as 'one of the ten people who have made a difference in the art market' and an illuminating account of his forty years of art and jewellery collecting.

About this title

About the Author:

Daniel Alcouffe received his Diploma in Archiving and Paleography from the Ecole nationale des Chartes, Paris. He is Honorary Chief Curator of Decorative Arts of the Musee du Louvre, Paris, and Officer of the Legion of Honour of the French Republic. Monsieur Alcouffe has published many articles and six books. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information Francoise Aubry received her Master's degree in Art History from the Universite libre de Bruxelles. She is Curator of the Musee Horta, Brussels. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information Werner Adriaenssens received his Doctor's degree in Archeology and Art History from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He is Curator of Twentieth Century Decorative Arts of the Royal Museums of Art and History of Belgium, Brussels, and Professor of Art History in Decorative Arts of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information Leon Lock received his Doctor's degree in Art History from the University of London. He is Secretary General of the Patrimoine Culturel Immobilier, Brussels, and Founding President of The Low Countries Sculpture Society, Brussels. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information Odile Nouvel-Kammerer received her Master's degree in Art History from the Universite de Strasbourg. She is Chief Curator of Nineteenth Century Collections of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information Guido Giovannini-Torelli graduated from the London Academy with a degree in English History, Literature and Music. He retired from the Sapienza - Universita di Roma, where he was Professor of Jewellery Culture. Professor Giovannini-Torelli is a member of the American Society of Jewelry Historians and of the Gemological Institute of America. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information Thomas Fohl received his Doctor's degree in Art History from the Freie Universitat Berlin. He is Director of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar. Visit www.roberto-polo-the-eye.com for more information

Review:

A sumptuous tome. Antiques Trade Gazette To buy his book is to acquire one's own private museum. Spectator

About this edition

• Publisher: White Lion Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0711232520
• ISBN 13: 9780711232525
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 688