Tales from the Art Crypt: The Painters, the Museums, the Curators, the Collectors, the Auctions, the Art

I found Richard Feigen's book to be a mostly worthy criticism of the current art world. I am the son of Sam Salz who is mentioned in a short passage in the book as a legendary art dealer. I think Mr.Feigen's description of his method of dealing is accurate even though my father's german-jewish accent is slightly overdone. My father may have been a shrewd and sometimes ruthless negotiator but he always saught a good home for "his pictures" and could judge a great one from a "postage stamp". The rest of the book deals very well with the gradual takeover of large corporate interests in the museums. Sometimes Mr. Feigen has a tendency to portray himself as the sole savior in a corrupt system but more than a few of his shots are right on target.

Richard Feigen has written a super piece of insider information about the art world, admittedly his own and centered around Chicago and New York. Superlatively illustrated, written in a personal style with a gossipy machine-gun ring to it. For anyone part of that world this book is a must and for the rest of us it is a rare wide-open window, not unlike reading a Suzy column in W magazine but with a few Art History doctorates added on.

The painters, museums and curators of art are revealed in Tales from the Art Cryptwill appeal to a wide audience, from leisure browsers to students of art collecting and art history. Tales from the Art Crypt provides a lively examination of the art world reflecting the author's fifty years in the art field and including insights on painters he's known, represented, or collected.

Right on the money. The tension between current administration and curatorial museum work could not have been better demonstrated. Frank anecdotal experiences told in a lucid well crafted manner leaves you wanting more! The level of knowledge of museum boards at our best museums is sobering. The photo of the banner in front of the Metropolitan says it all--Haute couture at the Metropolitan-- Indeed! Thanks Mr. Feigen.

I enjoyed this look at the art world through Mr. Feigen's eyes and experiences. The book is written in a very conversational tone with humor and brutal honesty.