Israel Ber Neumann
J. B. Neumann portrait by Otto Dix, 1922
Born(1887-03-02)March 2, 1887
Skole, Galicia, Austria-Hungary
DiedApril 28, 1961(1961-04-28) (aged 73)
New York, New York
Other namesJ. B. Neumann

I.B. Neumann
Occupationart dealer

Israel Ber Neumann also: Jsrael Ber Neumann, J. B. Neumann, or I. B. Neumann (born 1887 in Skole, Galicia, Austria-Hungary; died 1961 in New York City) was a German-US art dealer and publisher who was instrumental in establishing 20th-century art in Germany and the United States[1]

Early life

Israel Ber Neumann, usually known as I.B. Neumann, was born in Austria. His father was an oil and lumber dealer. Neumann initially studied business but when he was nineteen began an apprenticeship to a book and picture dealer.[2]

In 1910, Neumann returned to Berlin, Germany and in 1911 opened a book and art shop where he exhibited the work of Edvard Munch and others. Neumann had many friends who were artists and in 1915-1916 he was secretary to the Berlin Secession, a prominent German artist association. By 1922 Neumann had branch offices in Bremen, Düsseldorf and Munich.[2]

Art dealer in New York

Neumann emigrated to the United States in 1923.[3] Management of I. B. Neumann's Berlin gallery was taken over first by Alfred Flechtheim and then Karl Nierendorf.[4] The Frankfurt shop was managed by his employee Günther Franke.[3]

In 1924 Neumann opened a 57th Street gallery and bookshop, first called J.B. Neumann's Print Room and later the New Art Circle gallery.[2]

Neumann edited the magazine Artlover.[5]

He exhibited artists such as Max Beckmann,[6] Conrad Felixmüller, Otto Dix,[7] and Rudolf Schlichter[8] at the very beginning of their careers.[9]

Part of his written estate, including an unpublished autobiography, and the estate of his gallery are in the archives of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.[10]

Controversy concerning Nazi-looted art

I. B. Neumann's name became involved in an art restitution lawsuit filed by the heirs to Alfred Flechtheim in 2016.[11] In Hulton et al v, Bayerische Staatsgemaldesammlungen et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 16-09360, the heirs of Alfred Flechtheim claimed that six works by Beckmann (Duchess of Malvedi (1926), Still Life with Cigar Box (1926), Still Life with Studio Window (1931), Dream—Chinese Fireworks (1927), Champagne Still Life (1929), Quappi in Blue (1926) ); one work by Gris (Cruche et verre sur un table (1916) ); and one work by Klee (Grenzen des Verstandes (1927) should be restituted by the Bavarian State Paintings Collection because of their loss due to the Aryanization by Nazis of Flechtheim's art gallery.[12] The plaintiffs and the defendants disagreed over whether I.B. Neumann ever owned the artworks in question. Bavaria (BSGS) asserted that Flechtheim had freely sold the artworks to Neumann, but the Flechtheim family asserted that such a sale was baseless speculation contradicted by the sources invented to conceal Nazi looting.[11] The issue was not decided as the case was dismissed because of the protections offered to Germany by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which the judge ruled provides foreign states with a broad grant of immunity.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Gee, Malcolm (2003). "Neumann, J B". Grove Art Online. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.T062054. ISBN 978-1-884446-05-4. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  2. 1 2 3 "Biographical Note | A Finding Aid to the J. B. Neumann papers, 1905-1967". www.aaa.si.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  3. 1 2 "Collections Online | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  4. ↑ "Collections Online | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2021-10-13. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  5. ↑ "Artlover". Artlover. 1927. ISSN 0277-6227. OCLC 1780089.
  6. ↑ Beckmann, Max (1919), Portrait of I. B. Neumann, retrieved 2021-10-13
  7. ↑ "Otto-Dix-Ausstellung. Berlin. Ausstellungsführer zur Otto-Dix-Ausstellung im Graphischen Kabinett I. B. Neumann, Berlin, Mitte März bis 15. April 1923 - Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek". www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de (in German). Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  8. ↑ "Galerie St. Etienne - Rudolf Schlichter at Galerie St. Etienne - Biography". www.gseart.com. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  9. ↑ "Neuerscheinungen zu Max Beckmann".
  10. ↑ "J.B. Neumann Papersin The Museum of Modern Art Archives Neumann". www.moma.org. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  11. 1 2 "Case 1:16-cv-09360 Document 1 Filed 12/05/16" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Bavaria is sued in New York over paintings looted by Nazis". Reuters. 2016-12-05. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  13. ↑ "Hulton v. Staatsgemaldesammlungen, 346 F. Supp. 3d 546 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved 2021-10-13.

Literature

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