Daniel-Henri Kahnweiler

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Kahnweiler, Daniel-Henri (1884–1979). German-born art dealer, publisher, and writer, who became a French citizen in 1937. He was a banker by training but not by temperament, and he persuaded rich banker uncles to support him in opening a gallery in Paris—in the rue Vignon—in 1907. Initially he knew nothing about the art trade and simply bought what he liked, his first purchases being paintings by three of the Fauves—Braque, Derain, and Vlaminck. He was soon buying Cubist works by Braque and Picasso, and in 1912 both these artists signed contracts giving Kahnweiler an exclusive right to purchase their entire outputs. He was also a friend and supporter of Gris, of whom he wrote a standard biography (1946). As well as marketing paintings, Kahnweiler acted as a publisher, bringing out numerous books illustrated by the artists in whose work he dealt (see LIVRE D'ARTISTE). During the First World War he lived in neutral Switzerland, returning to Paris in 1920. Because he was German, his stock had been confiscated during the war and it was sold in 1921–3. Another blow was that several of his artists, including Picasso, had gone over to Paul Rosenberg. Nevertheless he set up another gallery, and in the interwar years the artists in whom he dealt included Klee and Masson. He went into hiding during the Second World War, but resumed his activities afterwards. In 1961 he published an autobiography, Mes Galeries et mes peintres; in the introduction to the English translation, My Galleries and Painters (1971), John Russell wrote: ‘Where the old-style dealers did their artists a favour by inviting them to luncheon, Kahnweiler lived with Picasso, Braque, Gris, Derain, and Vlaminck on a day-to-day, hour-to-hour basis. The important thing was not so much that they should sell as that they should be free to get on with their work; and Kahnweiler, by making this possible, helped to bring into being what now seems to us that last great flowering of French art.’

Kahnweiler, Daniel-Henri (b Mannheim, 25 June 1884; d Paris, 11 Jan. 1979). German-born art dealer, publisher, and writer, who became a French citizen in 1937. In 1907 he opened a gallery in Paris. His first purchases were of Fauvist works, but he is best known as the friend and promoter of the Cubists. In 1912 Braque and Picasso signed contracts giving Kahnweiler exclusive rights to buy their entire outputs. He was also a friend and supporter of Juan Gris, of whom he wrote a standard biography (1947). As a publisher he brought out numerous books illustrated by his artist friends. In 1961 he published an autobiography, Mes galeries et mes peintres; in the introduction to the English translation, My Galleries and Painters (1971), John Russell wrote: ‘Where the old-style dealers did their artists a favour by inviting them to luncheon, Kahnweiler lived with Picasso, Braque, Gris, Derain, and Vlaminck on a day-to-day, hour-to-hour basis. The important thing was not so much that they should sell as that they should be free to get on with their work; and Kahnweiler, by making this possible, helped to bring into being what now seems to us that last great flowering of French art.’

Kahnweiler, Daniel-Henri (1884–1979). German-born art dealer, publisher, and writer, who became a French citizen in 1937. In 1907 he opened a gallery in Paris. His first purchases were of Fauvist works, but he is best known as the friend and promoter of the Cubists. In 1912 Braque and Picasso signed contracts giving Kahnweiler exclusive rights to buy their entire outputs. He was also a friend and supporter of Juan Gris, of whom he wrote a standard biography (1947). As a publisher he brought out numerous books illustrated by his artist friends.