Guy Wildenstein is a French businessman, art dealer and racehorse owner and breeder.
Background
Born in New York City, Guy Wildenstein is the son of Daniel Wildenstein, an art dealer, race horse owner and breeder in France. His family had to flee France following the German occupation during World World War II and make their way to the United States where Guy was born. After his father"s death in 2001, Guy Wildenstein assumed managing control of the art business, leaving his brother Alec to concentrate mainly on the horse racing and breeding operations.
Career
Alec died in 2008 leaving Guy in charge of both businesses. Among "s art businesses is the & Company art gallery at 19 East 64th Saint The British Broadcasting Corporation programme Fake or Fortune? criticized Guy in June 2011, after the Institute controversially refused to allow the painting Bords de la Seine à Argenteuil into the catalogue raisonné, despite the programme submitting conclusive documentary evidence to prove its authenticity. The programme"s presenter Philip Mould called for the Institute to be replaced by a committee of scholars for the purpose of adjudicating whether a painting is an original Monet or not.
In July 2011, Guy, was charged by the French authorities with concealing art that had been reported as missing or stolen.
The police seized 30 artworks from the vault of the Institute, at least 20 of which, including sculptures by the Italian artist Rembrandt Bugatti, two sketches by Edgar Degas and a pastel by Eugène Delacroix, were claimed to have been originally part of the collection of Joseph Reinach. Daniel had acted as executor of the estate of Reinach"s daughter in 1972 and had been charged with responsibility for distributing the collection, which was held at the Institute, among the heirs.
Membership
He is a member of the Assembly of French Citizens Abroad.