Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Perls, Frank Richard print view role Collector Dealer/Gallery dates 1910-1975 city Beverly Hills state CA other cities Berlin; Paris; New York, NY; sex M historical notes 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. decades of activity 1930-1940 1940-1950 1950-1960 1960-1970 1970-1980 updated 02/14/2025 10:12:29 bibliographic search Search Frick Art Reference Library Catalog Search Photoarchive Search Worldcat Search Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) Search Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) Search Wikidata Entry Archives/Repository Collection Title Collection Details University of California, Los Angeles YRL Department of Special Collections Frank Perls Gallery records see details... Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200 Perls Galleries records, 1937-1997 see details... Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200 Frank Perls papers and Frank Perls Gallery records, circa 1920-1983, bulk 1949-1975 see details... Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200 Jules Langsner papers, circa 1910s-1998, bulk 1950-1967 see details... see also: Perls, Klaus «  back