One of the most significant driving forces for artists is the recognition and impact of their works on people's lives. Financial support is also crucial, and collectors play a major role in this regard.
Collectors are different from ordinary buyers. Acquiring artwork is not an easy process, and being recognized and reputable is necessary, especially to acquire works by important artists. Even unidentified buyers at auctions are often well-known individuals. Practical experiences are required to become a collector, not academic education. These experiences include visiting museums and exhibitions, attending auctions and studying art history and philosophy. Additionally, knowing what they want is extremely important.
Another distinguishing feature of collectors from other buyers is that they are supporters of art and artists. Known as art patrons or sponsors, these individuals provide opportunities for artists to create and also establish galleries, museums and schools to share their passion with other art enthusiasts.
As a result, the importance of collecting in today's art world cannot be underestimated. This highlights the universality and societal significance of art.
Europe's rich cultural heritage has offered extraordinary diversity and richness in art and culture for thousands of years. Many prominent collectors, nourished by this heritage, have amassed significant art collections over the centuries and established private museums to exhibit these works. These collectors not only brought together artworks but also made significant contributions to the development of art and culture by reaching large audiences.
Hans Heinrich Thyssen von Bornemisza
The baron of the world steel industry, Bornemisza, inherited his fascinating collection upon the death of his father, Baron Heinrich, in 1947. Hans Heinrich inherited the "Old Masters" collection from his father and occasionally added other works left by his siblings to complete it. From the 1960s onwards, the focus of the collection shifted to modern art.
He began collecting works by significant figures in art history, including Monet, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Picasso, Miro, Mondrian, Braque and Rothko, as well as 19th-century American art, maintaining the collection's position at the forefront of world art. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum houses the Thyssen Collection, one of the world's largest art collections. When he wanted to share the 350 works he kept in storage in his Villa Favorita in Spain with the public, he received museum offers from England, the U.S., Switzerland, Germany, Japan and finally Spain. The influence of his Spanish wife, Tita, was significant in his decision to choose Spain. In 1988, a five-year contract was signed between the Kingdom of Spain and the Thyssen-Bornemisza family to temporarily display the collection at the Villahermosa Palace in Madrid and the Monastery of Pedralbes in Barcelona. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opened its doors on Oct. 10, 1992. A few months later, on June 21, 1993, the baron signed an agreement with the Spanish state, deciding to exhibit 775 works in the museum permanently.
Oscar Ghez de Castelnuovo, former director of the Petit Palais Museum in Geneva, embarked on art collecting in 1945. Ghez became a well-known figure in the art world by creating a vast collection spanning almost all art movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the most important examples of his collecting efforts was his endeavors to find artworks lost during the Nazi period. After 30 years of research, Ghez found and collected hundreds of pieces, donating them to the University of Haifa, a donation considered a significant milestone in art history.
Dakis Joannou, a Cypriot businessperson, established the Deste Foundation in 1983 to foster his passion for art and promote it internationally. Today, the foundation displays the works of 100 significant artists from around the world, with a collection of 200 pieces. The foundation aims to create an impressive art environment by bringing together global art writers, collectors and prominent artists.
During his time in New York from 1962 to 1964, Joannou encountered a vibrant art scene experiencing the glory years of pop art. Over two years, he visited all art galleries and museums in New York, gaining knowledge about global art trends. Starting his collection in 1985, Joannou enriched it with meaningful works by pioneering American artists such as Katharina Fritsch, Robert Gober, Mike Kelley, Jeff Koons and Kiki Smith. He particularly values the early works of Robert Gober and Jeff Koons. Dakis Joannou is an international art collector with a Mediterranean sensibility.
As one of France's leading figures in the luxury industry, Pinault made his mark on European art with the museum he opened at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice. In addition to being one of the world's wealthiest individuals, Pinault has an original personality, coming from a humble family and building his fortune entirely through his efforts.
When he took his first steps into art collecting, he admitted to not knowing art. He initially relied on the guidance of art dealer Marc Blonde for his first acquisitions. His first significant purchase was a Mondrian painting for $8.8 million. However, over time, Pinault's curiosity turned into passion. According to art experts, he has succeeded in evaluating good artwork and making tasteful choices. Despite all criticisms, Pinault advocates for exhibiting his art collection and opening museums to harness the power of artworks to encourage people to think and develop different perspectives. The museum at Palazzo Grassi is a significant art center housing leading works of contemporary art. With a wide and diverse collection, the museum regularly hosts prestigious exhibitions on an international scale. Through this museum, François Pinault aims to offer art lovers different cultural and artistic experiences.
Arnault is a luxury tycoon who ranks among the wealthiest businesspeople globally, standing among the top five richest individuals not only in Europe but also in the world. Arnault is the owner of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) and Christian Dior SA, as well as the auction company Phillips de Pury & Company. Arnault's art collection includes works by significant artists such as Picasso, Yves Klein, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Agnes Martin, Frank Stella, Jeff Koons and Pierre Huyghe.
In the Louis Vuitton building on Champs Elysees, one of the most prestigious buildings, the gallery of the foundation bearing Arnault's name hosts continuous exhibitions. Additionally, collaborative designs with renowned artists like Takashi Murakami are undertaken to strengthen Arnault's connection with art. Arnault, while emphasizing the luxury industry, also attaches great importance to art by expanding his collection and introducing art to broader audiences, thus maintaining his influence in the art world.
Charles Saatchi has played a significant role in expanding the definition of contemporary art. Born in Baghdad in 1943 to an Iraqi Jewish family, Saatchi embarked on a career in advertising and achieved success before entering the art world. Saatchi and his brother Maurice founded the Saatchi & Saatchi advertising agency in 1971, achieving great success. However, in later years, they parted ways with the company and pursued their paths.
Saatchi's interest in painting began with a Sol LeWitt wall painting he acquired from his former wife, Doris. With his passion for art, Saatchi became an influential figure in the contemporary art scene. Saatchi's collection consists of avant-garde, minimalist and expressionist works, sparking significant controversies in the art world. Holding works by Andy Warhol and other prominent artists, Saatchi revitalized the art scene in London.
Saatchi has been a pioneer of various movements in the art world and has elevated the prices of British artists. Additionally, by initiating the "Young British Artists" group and launching the "New Neurotic Realism" movement, he supported contemporary art. Saatchi aimed to bring art to broader audiences by establishing the Saatchi Gallery.
His innovative and provocative passion has influenced many who question the values of contemporary art. Saatchi's bold steps and successful integration of art and commerce have made him one of today's leading collectors.
The beginning of art collecting in America occurred long after the country's establishment, toward the mid-19th century. During this period, wealthy businesspeople and industrialists in America began forming their collections by purchasing artworks and antiques from Europe. Particularly, with the establishment of art galleries and museums in major cities on the East Coast, art collecting became even more widespread.
However, a significant turning point in art collecting in America occurred toward the end of the 19th century with the emergence of art benefactors. Individuals who donated or exhibited their extensive art collections for museums, especially, left a lasting impact on American art history.
It owes its origins to Solomon R. Guggenheim, the eldest son of Swiss immigrant millionaire Meyer Guggenheim, who devoted himself to collecting after retiring in the 1920s. Guggenheim, who was particularly interested in experimental painting, created the world's first Kandinsky collection. In 1937, Guggenheim established his eponymous foundation and, in 1939, opened the Museum of Non-Objective Painting in New York.
In 1943, Solomon R. Guggenheim commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a monumental art museum to house his entire collection. However, before the museum's opening in 1959, both its founder and architect had passed away. Despite criticisms that the building overshadowed the artworks it housed, Wright argued that the paintings nestled within the architecture formed a cohesive whole. The structure, containing numerous geometric and organic references, retains its originality even fifty years later. Peggy Guggenheim's museum in Venice is also part of the foundation. Later, the foundation established museums in Soho, Bilbao, and Berlin, as well as in Las Vegas. Museum projects in Abu Dhabi and Lithuania have also been added.
Peggy Guggenheim, from the Guggenheim family, became one of the most significant figures in the development of 20th-century modern art and modern American art. Peggy, whose father died in the Titanic disaster in 1912, carried this sorrow with her. Known for her marriages and eccentricities in the art world, Peggy Guggenheim transformed her modern art gallery in New York into a museum in Venice, known as her "Palazzo," creating one of the immortal collections of modern art. Supporting surrealism with her close friends Breton and Ernst and abstract art with Pollock, this intriguing gallery owner and collector contributed significantly to the development of avant-garde art. Constantin Brancusi, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp and Ferdinand Leger were both her friends and supported artists.
If the name David Rockefeller symbolizes American prosperity, it does so not only materially but also with cultural and social wealth. This remarkable entrepreneur, providing some of the finest examples of the principle that companies should give back to society what they earn from it, established the first example of a corporate art collection with "The Chase Manhattan Collection."
David Rockefeller, born into a family of art enthusiasts, spent his childhood surrounded by interesting and striking modern artworks. Following his mother's death in 1948, David Rockefeller took her place at the museum. His relationship with modern art definitively distinguished his initiated collection from the more traditional lines of other companies and collectors.
They began their collection in Paris in 1930. In 1941, amid the heavy war conditions in Europe, they moved to America and relocated their company, Schlumberger, to the U.S. The Menils' lives and surroundings in America were entirely different from those in Europe because it was affected by the great wars while life and artistic activities continued uninterrupted in America. Especially during World War II, European artists, intellectuals, and gallerists they immigrated to the U.S., eventually becoming active participants in American art life.
The Menil Collection began with classical paintings from the 16th to the 19th centuries, continuing with 20th-century art movements. Especially prominent in the collection are German expressionists and Paris school artists from the second half of the 20th century. Surrealists and New York school artists, along with examples of advanced modernist art, complete the collection. The Menil Collection, in reality, brings together objects and artworks from civilizations throughout the ages, serving as an anthology of humanity's journey on Earth. Compiled from various eras, schools, and civilizations, this rare collection also provides a survey of humanity's aesthetic tendencies. The 20th-century art section of the Menil Collection ranges from avant-garde works made of wood, glass and fabric.
He was a businessperson known for his success in the oil industry and his entrepreneurial skills. His interest in art collecting began when he purchased a landscape painting by Dutch artist Jan Van Goyen in 1931. While Getty initially focused on French decorative arts, his passion for painting grew over time, and by 1938, he had acquired two significant paintings from London. Although he halted painting acquisitions during World War II, he rapidly expanded his collection from the early 1950s onward. By 1953, he had amassed a rich collection.
Getty opened a museum at his farmhouse in Malibu to introduce art to the general public. However, the museum's content included not only masterpieces but also examples of 18th-century French decorative art and Greco-Roman antiquities. Therefore, despite the presence of masterpieces, the museum did not become a favorite among critics and succumbed to a taste for decorative art.
Among the significant works Getty added to his collection between 1955 and 1960 were Rembrandt's "Saint Bartholomew" and an original portrait by Veronese. Drawing inspiration from the Villa de i Papiri in ancient Herculaneum, Getty commissioned the construction of a museum building in Malibu. Established in the 1960s, the "Getty Museum" evoked an underground Romanesque structure.
When the new building of the Getty Museum opened to the public in 1974, the collection was displayed in three separate sections: Decorative Arts, Antiquities, and Fine Art. Getty would decide whether each painting acquired would be displayed on the museum's walls after giving his approval and generally preferred realistic compositions.
Eli Broad is a businessperson known for his success in the construction industry and his significant contributions to the art world. Born in 1933 in the Bronx, New York, to a Lithuanian Jewish family, Eli Broad, along with his wife Edythe, engages in social work in the fields of education, science and art through the foundation they established.
In 1979, Broad became the founding chairperson of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and expanded his influence in the art world through this institution. Additionally, in 1984, he established the Broad Art Foundation, further increasing his support for the arts. More than 8,000 works from the foundation's collection have been loaned to over 500 museums. The Broad couple has a vast collection comprising approximately 2,000 works by around 200 artists. These collections encompass a wide range of post-war and contemporary artworks.
The collector couple decided to establish a new contemporary art museum in Los Angeles called "The Broad." This museum opened its doors to visitors in 2015. Eli Broad's commitment to art and his desire to bring art to a wider audience have made significant contributions to the establishment and operation of this museum. Eli Broad has left an impressive mark in both the business and art worlds, earning the admiration of art enthusiasts.
