difference and value. He decided that real life
education was more important than the one he
was getting from the art business school.
Two events on his journey made him decide on
his chosen field. One internship with a dealer
specializing in furniture, sculpture and works of
art from the early medieval to Louis XIV years – at
one point called Haute Epoque, brought him into
contact with sculptures and a passion was born
specializing in pieces made of bronze. Additionally,
his dealings with the great variety of art found at
the Paris Flea Market became an inspiration. He
felt comfortable with art from all periods and
all mediums, realizing that this diversity can mix
and blend perfectly as long as there is excellence
in quality. His gallery is a mixture of sculpture,
furniture and paintings, including a stone sculpture
dating back to 2600 – 2500 BC to a George Juve
Lamp from 1950. The span of human creation is
palpable with his beautiful eclectic collection.
Dealing in art is a way of life and not a job for
Benjamin. He mentions that the thrill of the hunt
and discovery, the acquisition and later sale is a
passion rather than a job. Nevertheless, he is quick
to point out that dealing in art involves hard work
and risk taking.
Nicolas Landau, the famous dealer noted“An art dealer is a very lazy man who
works 24 hours a day, and a billionaire
without a penny in his pocket”.Benjamin embraces this definition, but adds that
when art is your occupation, one works all day
with passionate people, art historians, restores,
curators, collectors and with beautiful and rare
objects. The thrill of discovery, the constant
challenge of the new, the constant learning and
the passion that every new piece brings is what
makes it worth taking those risks.Benjamin sees enormous potential in attracting
new and younger collectors. Many of which have
found that the historical element that comes from
collecting old master sculptures, far exceeds that
which can be found in contemporary art. Exorbitant
prices have also left many potential, new and
young collectors out of the hyper charged modern
and contemporary art market. For the dealer,
Museums and Universities are the most important
places to promote art among younger generations.
Likewise, fairs such as TEFAF, where the best
objects and dealers congregate in one place are
the cradle of new vocations of future dealers and
young collectors. Benjamin believes that art needs
to live, to breathe and to be enjoyed on a personal
scale, and this will provide for a vibrant and lively
future market for all art categories. Preserving and
caring for cultural heritage is a responsibility for
dealers, collectors and institutions alike. In fact,
TEFAF demonstrates year after year that, to this
day, we can still find new, previously wrongly
catalogued and more researched and documented
masterpieces.Severo da Ravenna
Ferrara or Ravenna, 1465/1475 – Ravenna,
before 1538
KNEELING SATYR
Bronze
23 x 16 x 14 cm
Provenance:
Collection of the Duc d’Arenberg
(an old label under the base)