Fowles, Edward, 1885?-1971
Art dealer
Size: 1 Sound tape reel Sound recording 19 Pages Transcript
Summary: An interview of Edward Fowles conducted by John D. Morse on 1959 Aug. 21 for the Archives of American Art.
Fowles speaks of his youth in England, how he came to work for Duveen Brothers, collectors he knew, and his experiences as an art dealer. Fowles also discusses art criticism, the art market, and trends in art collecting.
Art dealer; New York, N.Y. Fowles directed the Paris branch of Duveen Brothers from 1917 to 1938, then purchased the firm from Lord Duveen in 1939 with two partners. By 1958 he had bought out his partners. Fowles was vice president of the gallery from 1938 to 1945, when he became president. In 1964, he sold the firm to the Norton Simon Foundation.
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Transcript: 35mm microfilm reel 3417 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Edward Fowles, 1959 Aug. 21. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
