Guy Wildenstein
| Guy Wildenstein | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 19, 1945 New York City, New York, United States |
| Residence | New York City |
| Occupation | Art dealer, racehorse owner/breeder |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Spouse(s) | Kristina Hansson |
| Children | David, Vanessa, Olivia, Samantha |
| Parent(s) | Daniel Wildenstein & Martine Kapferrer |
| Relatives | Alec Wildenstein (brother) |
Guy Wildenstein (born December 19, 1945) is a French businessman, art dealer and racehorse owner and breeder.
Early life
Born in New York City, Guy Wildenstein is the son of Daniel Wildenstein, an art dealer, race horse owner and breeder in France. His family had to flee France following the German occupation during World War II and make their way to the United States where Guy was born. He is a member of the Assembly of French Citizens Abroad.[1]
Career
After his father's death in 2001, Guy Wildenstein assumed managing control of the art business, leaving his brother Alec to concentrate mainly on the horse racing and breeding operations. Alec died in 2008 leaving Guy in charge of both businesses. The size of his share of the family fortune and trusts, estimated from $5 billion to $10 billion, was disputed by his stepmother, Silvia Wildenstein, in 2009.[2][3]
Among Wildenstein's art businesses is the Wildenstein & Company art gallery at 19 East 64th St.[4]
Criticism
The BBC programme Fake or Fortune? criticized Guy Wildenstein in June 2011, after the Wildenstein Institute controversially refused to allow the painting Bords de la Seine à Argenteuil into the catalogue raisonné, despite the programme submitting conclusive documentary evidence to prove its authenticity. The programme's presenter Philip Mould called for the Wildenstein Institute to be replaced by a committee of scholars for the purpose of adjudicating whether a painting is an original Monet or not.[5]
In July 2011, Guy Wildenstein was charged by the French authorities with concealing art that had been reported as missing or stolen. The police seized 30 artworks from the vault of the Wildenstein Institute, at least 20 of which, including sculptures by the Italian artist Rembrandt Bugatti, two sketches by Edgar Degas and a pastel by Eugène Delacroix, were claimed to have been originally part of the collection of Joseph Reinach. Daniel Wildenstein had acted as executor of the estate of Reinach's daughter in 1972 and had been charged with responsibility for distributing the collection, which was held at the Wildenstein Institute, among the heirs.[6]
References
- ↑ France-Amerique 5 Feb 2011 Accessed 26 June 2011
- ↑ Sage, Adam (20 June 2009). "Feud over family fortune and $10bn art collection". The Times.
- ↑ Samuel, Henry (23 September 2010). "Wildenstein widow launches lawsuit against Sarkozy administration". Daily Telegraph.
- ↑ Wildenstein & Company. Wildenstein.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-20.
- ↑ "Reviews". The Arts Desk. 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
- ↑ "Ignorance Is Defense in a Case of Lost Art". New York Times. July 20, 2011.