The Nepo Babies of Art: the Matisse Family, a Zwirner Dynasty, and more

Everyone is talking about New York magazine’s big feature on so-called “Nepo Babies” in fields like Hollywood, fashion and publishing.

While the magazine included a section on nepotism in the art world — discussing major art dealing families like the Mugrabis, the Nahmads, and the Glimchers — the editors missed more than a few big names.

Not to worry, however. ARTnews can fill you in on all the other art world “nepo babies”:

Dealers

Holly Solomon (1934-2002), founder of influential Holly Solomon Gallery in New York’s Soho neighborhood; champion of Pattern and Decoration movement

Thomas Solomon, owner of now-defunct Thomas Solomon Gallery in Los Angeles, now an art advisor and son of above

Hyun-Sook Lee, founder and chairwoman of Kukje Gallery in Seoul

Tina Kim, founder of Tina Kim Gallery in New York, daughter of above

Robert Hoffman (1947-2006), major American art collector and founder of National Lampoon

Hannah Hoffman, art dealer, Los Angeles, daughter of above

Richard Gray (1928-1918) founder of Chicago’s Richard Gray Gallery (now known as Gray Gallery)

Paul Gray, Managing Partner of Gray Gallery, son of above

Paul McCarthy, Los Angeles artist

Mara McCarthy, art dealer, founder of LA gallery The Box, daughter of above

John Kasmin, British art dealer

Paul Kasmin, (1960-2020), founder of Paul Kasmin Gallery (now called Kasmin Gallery), son of above

Kaspar Koenig, German museum director and curator

Leo Koenig, art dealer, son of above

Johann Koenig, art dealer, son of above

Henri Matisse (1869-1954), French painter

Pierre Matisse (1900-1989), art dealer, founder of gallery in New York, son of above

Heinz Bergruenn (1914-2007), German art dealer

John Berggruen, founder of the Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco

Olivier Berggruen, art historian and curator, son of Heinz Berggruen

Nicolas Berggruen, financier and art collector, son of Heinz Berggruen

Alexander Berggruen, art dealer and founder of New York’s Alexander Berggruen Gallery, son of John Berggruen

Camille Pissarro (July 10, 1830 – November 13, 1903), Impressionist painter

Joachim Pissarro, art historian and curator, professor at Hunter College, great-grandson of above

Lionel Pissarro, art dealer, great-grandson of above

Lucy Mitchell Inness and David Nash, founders of Mitchell Innes Nash gallery, former auction house specialists

Josie Nash, director at Mitchell Innes Nash, daughter of above

Pablo Picasso, artist

Bernard Ruiz Picasso, businessman, grandson of above

Paul de Froment, art dealer, director at Almine Rech, son of Almine Rech and stepson to Bernard Ruiz-Picasso

Julian Schnabel, American painter

Vito Schnabel, art dealer, founder of Vito Schnabel gallery, son of above

Georg Baselitz, German painter

Anton Kern, founder of Anton Kern gallery in New York, son of above

Sean Kelly, founder of Sean Kelly gallery

Lauren Kelly, director of Sean Kelly gallery, daughter of above

Thomas Kelly, director of Sean Kelly gallery, son of Sean Kelly

Ronald Greenberg, founder of the Greenberg Gallery, St. Louis

Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, art dealer and co-founder of LGDR gallery, daughter of above

Nicholas Acquavella (1898-1987), founder of Acquavella Galleries

William Acquavella, head of Acquavella Galleries, son of above

Eleanor Acquavella, director at Acquavella Galleries, daughter of William Acquavella

Alex Acquavella, director at Acquavella Galleries, son of William Acquavella

Nick Acquavella, director at Acquavella Galleries, son of William Acquavella

Nicholas Logsdail, British art dealer, founder of Lisson Gallery

Alex Logsdail, CEO of Lisson Gallery, son of above

Rudolph Zwirner, German art dealer

David Zwirner, art dealer, founder of David Zwirner Gallery, son of above

Lucas Zwirner, director of publications at David Zwirner Gallery, son of David Zwirner

Marlene Zwirner, director at David Zwirner Gallery, daughter of David Zwirner

Steve Cohen, ARTnews Top 200 art collector 

Sophia Cohen, director at Gagosian Gallery, daughter of above

Frank Cohen, British collector

Adam Cohen, director at Gagosian Gallery

Georgina Cohen, director at Gagosian Gallery

Art fair directors and art advisors

László Moholy-Nagy (1895-1946), Hungarian artist, Bauhaus school professor 

Daniel Hug, director of Art Cologne, grandson of above

Joel Shapiro, American sculptor

Ivy Shapiro, art advisor, daughter of above

J. Tomilson Hill, ARTnews Top 200 collector, Met trustee, and founder of the Hill Art Foundation

Astrid Hill, art advisor, daughter of above

Jo Baer, American minimalist painter

Josh Baer, art advisor and founder of The Baer Faxt newsletter

Auction Houses

Patrick Drahi, Sotheby’s owner

Nathan Drahi, Managing Director of Sotheby’s Asia, son of above

Bill Ruprecht, former CEO of Sotheby’s

Barney Ruprecht, partner and senior car specialist at Broad Arrow Group, former car specialist at Sotheby’s, son of above

Patricia Marshall, art advisor, clients include ARTnews Top 200 collector Eugenio Lopez

Alex Marshall, senior vice president, Christie’s, son of above

Ellyn and Saul Dennison, art collectors, New Museum board members

Lisa Dennison, executive vice president and chairman, Americas, at Sotheby’s; former deputy director of Guggenheim Museum, daughter of above. 

Bradford Waywell, art dealer, son of Lisa Dennison

Pierre Lagrange, ARTnews Top 200 collector

Bernard Lagrange, Sotheby’s specialist, son of above

Jay Jopling, British art dealer, founder of White Cube Gallery, champion of Young British Artists movement

Caspar Jopling, Head of Strategic Development at White Cube Gallery, formerly in corporate development and strategy at Sotheby’s, nephew of above

George Wachter, chairman of Sotheby’s North America and South America and co-chairman of Old Master Paintings Worldwide

Jackie Wachter, Sotheby’s senior vice president of private sales, daughter of above

Brahm Wachter, streetwear and collectibles specialist at Sotheby’s, son of George Wachter

Artists

David Sylvester (1924-2001), British art critic

Cecily Brown, painter, daughter of above

Robert Ryman (1930-2019), American abstract painter who specialized in white monochromes

Will Ryman, artist, son of above and artist Merrill Wagner

Cordy Ryman, artist, son of above and artist Merrill Wagner

Ethan Ryman, artist, son of above and critic Lucy Lippard

Christophe de Menil, socialite and oil heiress 

Dash Snow (1981-2009), American multimedia artist, grandson of above

Kenneth Noland (1924-2010), American color field painter

Cady Noland, conceptual artist, daughter of above

N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), American painter and illustrator

Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), painter, son of above

Jamie Wyeth, painter, painter, son of Andrew Wyeth

Other

Alexander Milne Calder (1846-1923), Scottish-American artist, created William Penn statue in Philadelphia

Alexander Stirling Calder (1870-1945), American artist specialized in public art 

Alexander Calder (1898-1976), American artist, son of Alexander Stirling Calder

Alexander S. C. “Sandy” Rower, President of the Calder Foundation, grandson of above

Holton Rower, Vice President of the Calder Foundation

Gryphon Rower-Upjohn, sound artist and curator, son of Alexander Rower 

Vincent Fremont, documentary director and producer, former manager of Warhol’s studio

Casey Fremont-Crowe, executive director of Public Art Fund, daughter of above

Austin Fremont, founder of Fremont Blue Events, daughter of Vincent Fremont

Source: artnews.com