Jüdische Kunsthändler und Galeristen : Eine Kulturgeschichte des Schweizer Kunsthandels mit einem Porträt der Galerie Aktuaryus in Zürich, 1924-46

Abstract

The study contributes to the cultural history of the modern art trade in Switzerland, focusing on the work of Jewish art dealers and gallery owners. The Moos, Bollag and Aktuaryus were among the first art dealer families of Jewish origin on the Swiss art market. They and others were committed to the Impressionists and modern French art, promoted contemporary Swiss art and organized auctions. In their function as art mediators, they established themselves between artists and collectors and thus built new art worlds. At the intersection of (European) Jewish identity and the history of art reception, their personal motives, professional approaches, strategic adaptations to the market, careers, and historical circumstances are illuminated. In a comprehensive portrait of the Aktuaryus Gallery in Zurich (1924-46), the work of the Jewish art dealer and gallerist Toni Aktuaryus (1893-1946) is also recapitulated for the first time.