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historical notes
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Frank Perls was an art dealer best known for his exposés of art forgeries. He was born in Berlin to Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Perls, who owned a prominent art gallery. After studying art history at the University of Freiburg, Frank joined his mother at the Galerie Kaethe Perls in Paris in 1932. In 1937, Frank Perls emigrated to the United States and, along with his brother Klaus, co-founded the Perls Galleries in Manhattan. In 1939, he established his own art space in Hollywood at 8634 Sunset Boulevard. Over the years, he exhibited a wide range of notable artists, including Belgian painter Frans Masereel in 1939, Maurice de Vlaminck and Maurice Utrillo in 1940, and Raoul Dufy, Picasso, Georges Rouault, Utrillo, and American painter Paul Lewis Clemens in 1941. He also showcased works by Man Ray in 1941.
After being honorably discharged from wartime service in 1945, Perls worked for Associated American Artists in New York and Los Angeles. He later reopened his eponymous gallery in Beverly Hills in 1950. It was a pioneering force in California, introducing artists such as Alberto Giacometti and Henri Matisse to the West Coast. He also exhibited the works of other renowned artists, including Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Jean Dubuffet, Paul Klee, Joan Miro, Henry Moore, and Picasso. He further supported local talent by showcasing Californian artists.
Frank Perls set landmark exhibitions at the University of California Los Angeles Art Galleries and set auction records by acquiring important artworks. Notably, he purchased Juan Gris's "Still Life with a Poem" and Georges Rouault's "Le Chinois" at auction, establishing records for these artists' works. Beyond his gallery activities, Perls was a personal friend of artists such as Pablo Picasso and the family of Henri Matisse. |
