New kids on the block: the young dealers who are shaking up the Old Masters market
Whether they are joining the family firm or striking out on their own, a growing number of younger professionals are smashing the stereotype of what an Old Master dealer looks like
The new generation of Old Master dealers are making waves in the market, defying the challenges faced by their predecessors like Johnny Van Haeften. Van Haeften, a septuagenarian, remarks that setting up an Old Master gallery today requires "at least £5m to £10m in the bank," compared to the more affordable prices and abundance of works in his day. Despite this, young dealers in their 30s and early 40s are now taking part in Frieze Masters.
Emanuela Tarizzo, director of Frieze Masters, notes the dynamic trend of younger dealers opening their own galleries or taking over family businesses. Ambrose Naumann, 37, a son of Old Master dealer Otto Naumann, recounts how he was initially just an intern before starting his own business after his father's lease ended. Victor Custot, 29, started his career in tech but joined his father's gallery after six days of a six-month probation.
Laura De Jonckheere, well aware of her privileged position, acknowledges the challenges of being a younger woman in a field dominated by older men but credits her gallery's team for accepting her son.
Mattias Vendelmans, a 33-year-old specialist in European fin-de-siècle artists, stands out for his contemporary approach, featuring glossy white floors and walls instead of traditional dark velvet walls with gold frames. He attributes his ability to attract younger clients to his modern sensibilities, partly influenced by his work in artist Carsten Holler's studio. Vendelmans, too, has found success with Instagram, allowing potential buyers to view works without visiting the gallery in person.
Willoughby Gerrish, 33, dealt at Frieze Masters for the first time last year, dealing in 19th- to 21st-century artists and sculpture. After a decade at the Fine Art Society and five years as a director at Bowman Sculpture, Gerrish sees exhibiting at Frieze Masters as a calculated risk, costing him at least £100,000. He hopes to meet top-level collectors and connect with other dealers under the same roof.
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