Art and Artists: The Collection of Elaine G. Weitzen
Elaine Graham Weitzen (1920-2017) was a private New York City art dealer and committed philanthropist whose honed eye and interest in new and emerging artists helped to create an eclectic and personal collection. Inspired by her mother’s passion for music and art, Mrs. Weitzen began collecting art in the 1950s and soon established friendships with artists Mark Tobey, Charles Seliger , George Rickey and Arnold Newman, among others. As founding Executive Director and a lifelong Trustee of the Board of the American Friends of the Israel Museum, Mrs. Weitzen worked closely with the museum and Isamu Noguchi (see photo at left) to create the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden, and worked with curators to build the museum’s collection. Included in Mrs. Weitzen’s own collection is a selection of works by Israeli artists Yehiel Shemi, Yaacov Wexler, and Yaacov Agam, and works by artists from the Middle East including Benni Efrat. A devoted member of the Board of The Sculpture Center, the Collection of Elaine G. Weitzen is rich in the area of sculpture and champions the work of young sculptors and established artists alike. Included are works by George Rickey, Jean Arp, Ronald Bladen, Menashe Kadishman, and José de Rivera. Mrs. Weitzen’s close relationships with Charles Seliger and Mark Tobey can be seen in her holdings of their work which include many gifts and exemplify her personal commitment to the artists with whom she worked.
Seeing herself as a bridge between the business of the art world and the artists themselves, Weitzen understood the challenges artists face while trying to create their art and earn a living. Mrs. Weitzen’s life’s passion for the arts and her commitment to young and emerging artists is supported by The Elaine G. Weitzen Foundation for Fine Arts. Proceeds from the sale of works from her collection benefit the Foundation and will continue Mrs. Weitzen’s mission to support emerging artists and the institutions who show and collect their work.
We are pleased to be offering 20th Century works of art from the Collection of Elaine G. Weitzen on December 8.
