Art Dealer and Influential Gallery Owner Daniel Lelong Passes Away at Age 92

Daniel Lelong, co-founder of Galerie Lelong in Paris and New York, passed away on Wednesday, June 4, at the age of 92. His death was confirmed by the gallery. Lelong is remembered for his “positive spirit, sociable demeanor, and enthusiasm for life,” according to Mary Sabbatino, the gallery’s vice president and partner. His dedication to the gallery’s success led to its current prominent lineup of international artists such as Yoko Ono, Sean Scully, and Nancy Spero, alongside notable Latin American artists like Cildo Meireles and Alfredo Jaar.

Lelong’s influential work in the late 20th-century art scene included collaborations with key figures and contribution to important art collections. Born in 1933 in Nancy, France, Lelong initially trained as a lawyer. In 1961, he was approached by art dealer Aimé Maeght to help establish France’s first private art foundation, the Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght. This foundation was inspired by American institutions like the Barnes Collection.

Lelong’s collaboration with artists like Joan Miró and Marc Chagall during this period helped him build important connections in the art world. He contributed to the careers of these artists, publishing works such as a monograph of Alexander Calder’s work in 1971 and several catalogue raisonnés for Miró.

In 1981, after the death of Maeght, Lelong founded Galerie Maeght-Lelong with Jacques Dupin and Jean Frémon. The gallery later expanded to New York in 1985 and, eventually, settled in Chelsea in 2001 under the name Galerie Lelong.

Mary Sabbatino expressed comfort in Lelong’s long and fulfilling life and confidence in the gallery team’s ability to continue his legacy of leadership and passion.