Allan Barry Stone
Allan Barry Stone was an American art dealer, collector, and leading authority on Abstract Expressionism. In 1960, he founded the Allan Stone Gallery where he became renowned for his early advocacy of preeminent 20th-century artists. He championed artists such as John Chamberlain, Joseph Cornell, Willem de Kooning, Richard Estes, Arshile Gorky, John Graham, Eva Hesse, Franz Kline, Yasuhide Kobashi, Wayne Thiebaud, and Jack Whitten. He was also known for his zealous and eclectic approach to art collecting, amassing a collection that spanned painting, sculpture, assemblage, collage, folk art, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, furniture, mechanical parts, signs, and bugatti cars. At the time of his death, he had the largest collection of African and Oceanic art in private hands.
Early life and education
Allan Stone was born in Manhattan in 1932. His father was a lawyer and his mother was the daughter of Sam Klein, the founder of New York City-based discount dress store chain S. Klein on the Square. Stone attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, Harvard University, and studied law at Boston University.Stone was interested in art from an early age. American cartoonist Gus Edson was a family friend and his artistic talent fascinated Stone when he was a boy. Stone drew cartoons from an early age and painted during his time at Andover.
Following his graduation from Boston University, Stone practiced law at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C. and then on Wall Street in New York City. However, he was unable to shake his passion for art. He spent much of his working day giving legal advice to artists for free or in exchange for their work. His clientele included Robert Mallary, John Chamberlain, and Elaine de Kooning, the latter of whom was instrumental in convincing Stone to quit law and start his gallery. He had also begun collecting art in earnest. While studying at Boston University, Stone had met artist Robert S. Neuman and infatuated with Neuman's Barcelona paintings. During this time, he joined the Anonymous Art Reclamation Society which was founded by art dealer Ivan Karp.
His growing relationships with artists eventually drove him to quit law for good and open the Allan Stone Gallery. Reflecting on the decision, Stone remarked: "I couldn't say that I intellectually decided to go into it. I sort of got sucked into it, sort of the way a junkie gets sucked into a heroin parlor."
Legacy and impact
Stone's eye for young artists’ potential had a substantial impact on the landscape of 20th-century art. He is often celebrated as being "ahead of the curve" in his vision, and for his willingness to share that vision and knowledge with artists he believed in. His reputation as a tastemaker, along with his instincts, passion, and appreciation of unconventional talent garnered him a large following of collectors. He is responsible for curating some of the most extraordinary private collections of art in existence today.The art dealer Allan Stone purchased De Kooning's Two Women in May 1983 for a record-breaking $1.2 million at Christie's auction house, significantly exceeding its auction house estimate. The sale made headlines as the highest price ever paid for a work by a living artist. Stone later resold the painting at auction for an impressive $1.98 million the following year.
Despite living in New York City, he was an enthusiastic proponent of California's Bay Area art scene. He admired the "spirit of independence" exhibited by California artists like Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Arneson.
Stone was also a leading authority on Abstract Expressionism, particularly de Kooning, Kline, Barnett Newman, Jackson Pollock, and Arshile Gorky. Stone was interviewed regarding his expertise on Pollock for the 2006 film, Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock.
Relationship with Wayne Thiebaud
Stone's most significant partnership with an artist was with Wayne Thiebaud, who he represented for over four decades. Their relationship is renowned as "one of the most influential partnerships in American postwar art, and left a legacy that many of today's artists and dealers struggle to emulate."Stone and Thiebaud met in 1962 when the struggling Thiebaud was convinced he was "only good at being bad." The artist had spent a disheartening day showing his artworks to uninterested galleries on Madison Avenue. The Allan Stone Gallery, at the northernmost end of the street was his last stop. He was instantly captivated by the artist's lush modern still-lives of pies and gumballs machines and became Thiebaud's most enthusiastic advocate. He even ignored Barnett Newman's advice "to get rid of the pie guy—Thiebaud."
He gave Thiebaud his first solo show later that year, spurning Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and Chuck Close in the process by offering them a group show to make space in his schedule to showcase Thiebaud. The exhibition resulted in a very favorable review in the New York Times and a significant number of sales, including a private purchase by a curator from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exposure Thiebaud received at the gallery launched his career and contributed to the gallery's growing reputation as one of the most respected in New York.
One memorable exhibition was Wayne Thiebaud's solo show, which featured his iconic paintings of cafeteria counter pies and cakes. This 1960s exhibition was not only a visual feast but became a noteworthy event when Elaine de Kooning attended its crowded opening. Discovering that ARTnews had sent a young reviewer who disliked the show, she immediately called Thomas Hess to urge him to visit the gallery, recognizing the significance of Thiebaud's work.
After Stone died in 2006, Thiebaud would remark, "He was the only dealer I ever had over a 45-year period. We were more than friends. We were practically family."