William Acquavella
American art dealer and gallerist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Raymond Acquavella (born 1937/38) is an American art dealer and gallerist, and the head of Acquavella Galleries.
- Hope Brown (m. 1966)
- Donna Acquavella
William “Bill” Acquavella | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 or 1938 (age 88–89)[1] |
| Occupation | Art dealer |
| Known for | Acquavella Galleries |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
|
Early life
William Raymond Acquavella[2] is the son of Nicholas Acquavella, who founded Acquavella Galleries in 1921,[3][4] and Edythe Acquavella.[1] He was educated at Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut.[1] He graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.
Career
In 1992, he became Lucian Freud's dealer, agreeing to settle Freud's £2.7 million in gambling debts.[5]
Acquavella negotiated the sale of a Picasso painting from Steve Wynn to Steve Cohen for $139 million, but it fell through when Wynn put his elbow through the painting.[4]
Forbes included Acquavella in their 2012 list of the top ten art dealers.[6]
Personal life
Acquavella's own art collection is "dominated by Picasso, Matisse, and Miró",[3] as well as Bonnard and Léger.[4]
On May 21, 1966, in Shelburne, Vermont, Acquavella married Hope Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archibald M. Brown.[2] In 2000, their daughter Eleanor Hope Acquavella, then treasurer of Acquavella Galleries, married Morgan Andre Grace Dejoux.[7]
Before 1990, Acquavella married his second wife, Donna.[1] He has three children.[1]