Toni Aktuaryus (born 1893 in Paris; died March 1946 in Zürich) was a French art dealer.

Early life

Aktuaryus was a son of the art dealer and gallery owner J. F. Aktuaryus (Kunstsalon Aktuaryus), who was active in Wiesbaden at least since 1905.[1]

In 1924 he founded the Aktuaryus Gallery in Zurich,.[1] which offered many artists an exhibition opportunity in its rooms during the Second World War. Aktuaryus was advised, among others, by the art historian Gotthard Jedlicka, who, for example, also wrote articles for the gallery's monthly magazine "Galerie und Sammler" (Gallery and Collector), which was published from 1932/33. An important Aktuaryus client was arms manufacturer and art collector, Emil Georg Bührle.[2] [3] Starting in 1936, Bührle purchased paintings by Corot, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley and Cézanne from him.[4] [5][6] In 1938 Bührle purchased "Porte Saint-Martin, Paris"[7] and in 1943 Bührle purchased "La Butte Pinson" by Maurice Utrillo from him.[8] The lack of provenance has been a subject of controversy.[9][10]

Aktuaryus was buried at the Binz cemetery on April 1, 1946.

Restitution claims for Nazi-looted art and forced sales

After World War II, some of the artworks that Aktuaryus had sold were the object of restitution claims by Jewish families that had been persecuted and expropriated under the Nazis.[11] Matisse's Odalisque with Tambourine (Harmony in Blue), which Aktuarys had sold on December 18, 1942, for CHF 14,000 to Emil Bührle, Zurich was restituted on June 3, 1948, to Paul Rosenberg.[12] Research is ongoing concerning the provenances of artworks from the collection of Alfred and Tekla Hess.[13]

Literature

  • Elisabeth Eggimann-Gerber: Am Puls der Kunstwelt: der Schweizer Kunstmarkt, die Anfänge des internationalen Kunsthandels und der Galerist und Kunsthändler Toni Aktuaryus. In: Jüdische Sammler und ihr Beitrag zur Kultur der Moderne / Jewish collectors and their contribution to modern culture. Heidelberg, S. 255–268.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Collection Online | Berlinische Galerie | Ihr Museum für moderne und zeitgenössische Kunst in Berlin". sammlung-online.berlinischegalerie.de. Retrieved February 3, 2022. Der Sohn von J. F. Aktuaryus, Toni Aktuaryus, führte die familiäre Tradition weiter und gründete 1924 die -> GALERIE AKTUARYUS in Zürich.
  2. "Konkurseröffnung für die Galerie von Toni Aktuaryus". Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt. 64. Jg., Nr. 152. July 3, 1946. p. 2001. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  3. "One of the great modern art collections • 1936–1959 · Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection". www.buehrle.ch. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  4. "Altlasten im Neubau". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). ISSN 1422-9994. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  5. Anton, Michael (2010). Illegaler Kulturgüterverkehr (in German). Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-89949-722-9.
  6. Buomberger, Thomas (February 9, 2016). Schwarzbuch Bührle: Raubkunst für das Kunsthaus Zürich? (in German). Rotpunktverlag. ISBN 978-3-85869-676-2.
  7. "Porte Saint-Martin, Paris · Maurice Utrillo · Stiftung Sammlung E.G. Bührle". www.buehrle.ch. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  8. Buomberger, Thomas (September 2015). "Kunsthandel: Mehr Licht in die Dunkelkammern von Museen". Beobachter (in Swiss High German). Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  9. "Altlasten im Neubau - Contamination in the new building". www.lootedart.com. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  10. "Altlasten im Neubau". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). August 21, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  11. "Altlasten im Neubau". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). ISSN 1422-9994. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. "About the Collection". Norton Simon Museum. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  13. "Galerie Aktuaryus | Proveana". www.proveana.de. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
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