Fondation Custodia - Biography Frits Lugt

Frits Lugt 1884-1970. Leven voor de kunst
by Freek Heijbroek

The long-awaited biography of Frits Lugt (1884-1970) was published December 2010. It is the fascinating story of a passionate collector. Between 1901 and 1915 Lugt worked for an Amsterdam auction house that went from strength to strength thanks to his enthusiastic encouragement. In 1915 he started to collect for himself, using his keen eye for quality to acquire paintings, drawings, prints and antiquities. He sought out pieces by great masters like Rembrandt, Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyke and Watteau, but with extraordinary acumen he also bought excellent works by lesser-known artists, for which his collection is now deservedly famous.

Lugt was a self-taught art historian who published books that remain standard works to this day, constantly consulted by specialists. Readers of exhibition and sale catalogues are well acquainted with the famous ‘L’ followed by the number Lugt assigned to sale catalogues and collector’s marks.

During the Second World War he and his family lived in the United States. His treacherous secretary took advantage of Lugt’s absence and sold many items from his collection and his belongings, while the Nazi occupiers stole a good deal more. After the war, Lugt managed to recover most of his collection with the help of a detective. Heijbroek tells the thrilling story of this frantic pursuit of the stolen treasures.

In 1947 Lugt established the Fondation Custodia and endowed it with his entire collection. A few years later he realized one of his ambitions and created the Institut Néerlandais, the famous Dutch cultural institute still housed in its hôtel particulier, next door to the French Assemblée.

This book is a publication of the Fondation Custodia, Paris and publishers Uitgeverij THOTH.

The English translation of this biography by Lynne Richards will be published in April 2012.

In Dutch | Hardback | 16 x 24 cm
480 pages with 300 colour illustrations
ISBN 978 90 6868 551 0
€ 39.90

Frits Lugt 1884-1970. Leven voor de kunst is available in bookshops now. You can also order the book from Uitgeverij THOTH (info@thoth.nl or www.thoth.nl), or from this site using the order form.The book will be sent by regular mail (post and packaging free for orders inside the Netherlands)