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IN tribute 140 Merton Simpson It is a privilege for me to be able to write these lines about the fascinating life of Merton Simpson, who was for a time the most active and important African art dealer in the world. Mert began by frequenting Julius Carlebach’s gallery in New York and familiarized himself there with the tribal art he had discovered in the course of his visual arts studies at New York University. This was a major challenge for the young aficionado. His passion and determination had to compensate for the dearth of iconographic and ethnographic information available to him at the time. Early in 1954, Mert opened his own gallery on Madison Avenue in New York City, and it gradually became a crossroads for all those interested in the field. Its success can be explained primarily by the fact that the man had an exceptional gift—that of being able to recognize fine aesthetics in works of tribal art. I think that certain circumstances aided Mert, notably that he more or less inherited a market that colleague predecessors such as J. J. Klejman and Henri Kamer had developed. But as a refined and informed dealer in his own right, Mert was able to develop and take advantage of strategic connections with sub-Saharan Africa. It should be remembered that it was during this period (between 1965 and 1990) when a large part of this patrimony was on its way to the Western art market. At the same time, Mert made many trips to Europe, which allowed him to locate any number of masterpieces, which appealed to a strong nucleus of American collectors in search of the authentic and the beautiful. Mert’s personal qualities and his charisma enabled him to build a clientele that had faith in him and with whom he was in many cases closely befriended, such as sculptor and collector Arman. In retrospect, it has become well known that a goodly number of American museums also carry the stamp of Merton Simpson’s vision, in that they display works from him that are among the most emblematic of African aesthetics. Mert had not just an eye for art but a talent for music as well. This surfaced at his famous openings during which he would play with legendary jazz friends such as George Coleman and Lionel Hampton. Mert left us after a long illness, and the loss of this great man, who had so influenced others with his vision of traditional African art, sadly marks the end of an era in America for all of us. Mert, we warmly salute the skilled and experienced “hunter” that you were. Thank you. Jacques Germain


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