Rogues' Gallery: The Rise (and Occasional Fall) of Art Dealers, the Hidden Players in the History of Art

Here for the first time is the history of art dealers, those extraordinary men and woman who, over centuries (and almost entirely out of the public eye), built their profession on a singular skill: identifying the intangible but infinitely desirable qualities that characterize the greatest works of art—and finding clients for whom those qualities are irresistible.

About the Author :
Philip Hook has over forty-five years of expertise in the art market as a dealer and auctioneer, most recently as a board member and senior director of the Impressionist & Modern Art department at Sotheby's in London. He has appeared regularly as an expert on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow. With a degree in the history of art from Cambridge, Hook joined Christie's in 1973, heading their 19th Century Paintings department from 1980 to 1987. He is the author of Popular Nineteenth Century Painting; five successful novels set in the art world; The Ultimate Trophy, a history of the Impressionist market and a Financial Times Book of the Year; Breakfast at Sotheby's, named a Book of the Year by The Sunday Times, The Spectator, Financial Times, The Guardian, and Mail on Sunday; and Rogues' Gallery: The Rise (and Occasional Fall) of Art Dealers, the Hidden Players in the History of Art.

Review :
"Bristles with colorful characters and dysfunctional dynasties. . . . Hook weaves history with racy twists, opening the door to a secretive world. No rogue emerges unscathed." "Noteworthy, enlightening, well informed, and readable, this masterly book by an expert art dealer and auctioneer belongs in many large, public, academic, and special library visual arts collections." "A lively exploration of the history of art and the tastemakers and dealers whose influence in shaping it is often overlooked." "[An] entertaining and perceptive look at the workings of the fine-art trade . . . that will interest even the most casual of art lovers." "Praise from the UK for Rogues’ Gallery "This expert and elegant history of art dealers provides background to today’s art world, funded by ‘idiots with pretensions’. . . . Fascinating and elegantly written. . . . He guides us expertly through . . . dealership. . . . Excellent overview of the history of art dealing. . . . The whole of Rogues’ Gallery is richly seeded with his expertise and insider knowledge. . . . Both wise and timely: There never was a moment when the old adage ‘caveat emptor’ seemed more apt." "Hook knows what he is talking about. . . . the book catches fire. . . . [Hook] writes suavely and racily. . . . has a fabulous ear for anecdotes. . . . and his entertaining book has a Wodehousian tone that makes even the most heinous act it describes glint with comedy." "Wonderfully entertaining. . . . full of cracking stories and preposterous characters. . . . Philip Hook . . . has a front-row seat and a backstage pass to this arcane and obsessively secretive profession." "Read like a roll call of rakes and eccentrics. . . . This all reads like an entertaining yarn overheard in the nook of a Mayfair bar. . . . Hook has a Jeeves-like talent for understatement. . . . Illuminating. . . . combines expertise with irreverence." "Full of colorful characters, a pleasure to read. . . . [He] turns his wry eye on dealers. . . . and the dealers’ personality, as he shows in his short biographies of the leading historical exponents, Hook incorporates every trait from cunning and charisma to scholarliness and subterfuge." "A parade of charlatans, crooks, and visionaries in this lively 2,000-year history of art dealing . . . fascinating. . . . Hook writes with honesty and wry detachment. . . . almost no character escapes Hook unmauled." "Fascinating. . . . Refreshing." "Hook is not a curmudgeon. . . . he is a writer of wit and offers anecdotes generously. . . . There are overt and covert cynical reflections throughout. . . . Hook bares teeth at art-world euphemisms." "Fascinating. . . . candid. . . . very relevant. . . . Philip Hook is extremely well qualified to deal with his chosen subject." "He writes better about the physical nature and impact of painting than anyone I have read for years." "A cultured, witty, clear-eyed, worldly teacher with a fully functioning sense of humor."