Colnaghi: the History

The oldest commercial art gallery in the world, print sellers to the Prince Regent, and pioneers of photographic publishing, Colnaghi have sold some of the most important Old Master works to come on the market to private collectors and museums across the world. In celebration of their 250th anniversary, they are producing a commemorative catalogue, which traces the history of the gallery from its foundation in 1760 by the enterprising fireworks manufacturer Giavanni Battista Torre. The book is slanted to what one might call the Golden Age of Old Master picture dealing, between c. 1894, when Colnaghi began to challenge Agnew and Sulley for domination of the Old Master picture market, and 1930-31, the date of the great Hermitage sale, which is discussed by David Ekserdjan. In other essays authors consider the gallery's relationships with important dealers and collectors such as Otto Gutekunst, Isabella Gardner, Bernard Berenson, Henry Clay Frick and James Byam Shaw.