Annie Cohen-Solal's Biography Unravels Leo Castelli's Myth

Laurent Jeanpierre's review in Art Press examines Annie Cohen-Solal's biography of Leo Castelli, which deconstructs the myth surrounding the most influential contemporary art dealer of the 20th century. Drawing from four years of thorough research, the book chronicles Castelli's journey from Leo Krausz in Trieste to his gallery in Paris with René Drouin in 1939, and later to his significant 1957 New York gallery. He championed artists such as Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol, shaping movements like Pop, Minimalism, and Conceptual art. Cohen-Solal emphasizes his groundbreaking strategies, diverse heritage, and early challenges, including antisemitic laws and personal losses. While Castelli's gallery mentored future dealers like Mary Boone and Larry Gagosian, he did not establish an institutional successor as the market transformed.