The Leo Castelli Gallery was an art gallery in New York City that was influential in promoting and developing the careers of many American and European artists in the late 20th century. The gallery closed its doors in 2010, after a long and successful history.
Leo Castelli was born in 1907 in Trieste, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and emigrated to the United States in 1941. He initially worked in the advertising industry, but he developed a keen interest in art and started collecting works by European and American artists. In 1948, he opened his first art gallery, which featured works by Abstract Expressionists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko.
The gallery was very successful, and in 1958, Castelli opened a second location on East 77th Street. He also began representing artists from Europe, such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Lucio Fontana. In 1962, the gallery hosted the now-famous “New York School” exhibition, which featured works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and other pop artists.
The gallery continued to operate until 2010, when Castelli passed away at the age of 101. During its 52 years in operation, the Leo Castelli Gallery was extremely influential in promoting and developing the careers of many American and European artists. It will be remembered as one of the most important art galleries of the 20th century.
