OMNP recently spent a Friday afternoon with the charming Hugo Nathan, a young Old Masters dealer who presides over the New York branch of Dickinson-Roundell-a prestigious dealing partnership in the field for the past two decades. Mr. Nathan was recently responsible for the gallery’s exhibition, Devotio Moderno, a show that caught OMNP’s eye for its eclecticism. The exhibition combined the complex collages of Contemporary painter Joe Coleman with works from the Northern Renaissance, a source of influence for Mr. Coleman.
Here are Mr. Nathan’s thoughts on the Old Master trade today:
Do you think that there is an upside in the experience of collecting Old Masters as opposed to Contemporary art?
There are advantages to collecting anything you love, but what seems most obvious to me, is the pleasure in learning about Old Masters. With contemporary art you can get to meet the artist and talk to them about their work, which is great. But going to a museum and comparing their works to your own collection is fantastic. And reading university dissertations that add to your understanding of your collection is even better.
Is it inaccurate to say that great OM works aren’t available for sale anymore? Could you give any recent examples of great works that have recently been on the market/at auction?
The obvious examples were the recent London auctions: one of the great Fragonard’s came up at Christie’s, and a beautiful Tiepolo at Sotheby’s. At Maastricht this year we sold one of the greatest Jan Steen’s, which had been at the Rijksmuseum since the war, but were recently restituted.
Do you ever deal with “cross over” contemporary collectors? What type of Old Master work are they looking for? ? Are their any challenges specific to doing business with this type of collector and their taste?
The great thing is they are used to spending a lot of money and making quick decisions. Usually they are pleasantly surprised by the gentle, friendly and patient attitude of Old Master dealers, and they get a real excitement out of the new field.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of your job?
The best part of the job is completion. When you trace a picture from a collection, research it, appraise it, write about, clean it, reframe it, and see it satisfactorily into a new home, it is very rewarding. Sometimes financially! The worst part is all the paperwork!
Where do you see the field going in the next five years?
Great Old Masters are scarce and the field cannot support a huge number of dealers as there are not enough works or collectors of sufficient quality. But the Old Master business is thriving and will continue to enjoy success, even in a depressed market, because people really treasure any opportunity to buy truly great and rare works.
For inquiries on any inventory listed, email Mr. Nathan at hugo@simondickinson.com
