The Auctioneer: Adventures in the Art Trade

De Pury was born into an aristocratic European family, and his interest in and study of contemporary art and excellent social connections led him to work for major contemporary art businesses, eventually becoming chair of Sotheby's Europe, curator at the Thyssen Museum in Madrid, and founder of the auction house Phillips de Pury. He likens being an auctioneer and a major player in the contemporary art world to big game hunting. Acquiring pieces for auction is the hunt; the kill is when a piece sells for tens of millions of dollars in less than ten minutes—clearly, the author thrives on the adrenaline in this world of big money and big egos. Listeners who are familiar with the modern art world may enjoy this insider account, but others will find the constant name dropping and discussions of appearances at exclusive places and events rather dull. Ralph Lister uses plummy tones to convey the rarefied atmosphere of the art world.