Marlborough Gallery has announced the closure of its prestigious galleries in New York, London, Madrid, and Barcelona. This decision marks the end of an eight decades chapter.
Founded in London in 1946 by Frank Lloyd, a Jewish immigrant, and Harry Fischer, an Austrian rare books dealer, Marlborough Gallery quickly ascended to prominence. Representing artists such as Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and the Jackson Pollock and Rothko estates, the gallery became synonymous with groundbreaking artistic innovation.
In a statement released by the gallery, Franz Plutschow, a member of the Board of Trustees and long-time associate of the gallery’s founders, said, “After long and careful consideration, we decided that now is the time to sunset our nearly 80-year-old firm. We are profoundly grateful to all the artists who have been at the heart of Marlborough Gallery and integral to its storied legacy. We are indebted to our expert and dedicated employees, including those who will continue working with us as we wind down the business. As we do so, we are mindful that our inventory’s extraordinary breadth and depth testifies to the relationships formed over the decades with some of the most important artists of the modern era.”
Amidst these challenges, Marlborough Gallery’s closure reverberates across the art world, signalling the end of an era defined by artistic daring and creative exploration. The gallery’s extensive inventory, amassed over decades and estimated to be worth over $250 million, will be dispersed in the coming months and years, marking the end of a legacy that shaped modern art history.