Alexander Iolas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Iolas
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Alexander Iolas
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| Born |
Constantine Coutsoudis
March 26, 1908 Alexandria, Egypt
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| Died | June 8, 1987 (aged 79) New York City, US
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| Citizenship | American |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer, gallerist, art dealer and collector |
Alexander Iolas (born Constantine Coutsoudis) was a famous art dealer and collector. He was born in Egypt but became Greek-American. Iolas helped many artists become well-known, including René Magritte and Andy Warhol. He created a new way of doing art business by opening successful art galleries all over the world. These galleries were in big cities like Paris, Geneva, Milan, and New York.
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Early Life and Dance
Alexander Iolas was born on March 26, 1908, in Alexandria, Egypt. His birth name was Constantine Coutsoudis. His family was quite wealthy because they traded cotton. From a young age, Iolas loved the arts.
In 1928, he moved to Athens, Greece. There, he met many artists and writers who helped guide him. This is where he started to learn how to dance.
Iolas moved to Berlin in 1930 to study dance more seriously. He also performed in the Salzburg Festival in 1931 and 1932. Later, in 1932, he moved to Paris to continue his ballet studies. He also took art classes at the Sorbonne.
In 1935, Iolas came to New York. He joined a dance group called Ballet Productions. He performed for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera House in a show called La Traviata.
Becoming Alexander Iolas
On November 19, 1945, Iolas became an American citizen. He signed his papers as Constantine Coutsoudis. But he had already started using the name 'Jolas Coutsoudis' in dance programs.
He gradually changed his name to 'Iolas' because it sounded nicer and was easier to say. The name 'Iolas' was also special to him. It was linked to Iolaus, a hero from Greek mythology. He chose 'Alexander' because it is a famous name. It also connected him to the city where he was born, Alexandria.
In 1945, Iolas decided to stop dancing. He was 37 years old and felt it was time for a change. He wanted to work in the art world instead.
A New Path in Art
On September 1, 1945, Iolas opened his first art gallery in New York. It was called the Hugo Gallery. He named it after a friend, François Hugo. He started by showing art from European surrealist artists. These included famous names like René Magritte and Max Ernst.
In 1952, Iolas gave Andy Warhol his very first art show at the Hugo Gallery. Later, he worked with many other important artists. These included artists from movements like New Realism and Arte Povera. In 1954, his gallery grew and was renamed 'Alexander Iolas, Inc'.
Iolas was a leader in creating a network of art galleries. He opened new Alexander Iolas Galleries in different cities. These included Geneva (1963), Paris (1964), and Milan (1966). He also opened galleries in Zürich, Madrid, and Rome.
He also helped Greek artists become known around the world. He supported artists like Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas and Yannis Tsarouchis. He also worked with younger Greek artists who were starting their careers abroad.
Iolas also published art books and catalogues. He donated many artworks to big museums. These included the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris. He also gave art to the National Art Gallery in Athens.
Return to Greece and Later Years
Iolas became very famous worldwide. He often said he wanted to go back to Greece. He wanted to help improve the art scene there. After the Greek government changed in 1974, he started to close his galleries. He kept only the New York one open. This was part of a promise he made to artist Max Ernst. Many older artists he admired also passed away. This also influenced his decision.
In Greece, he worked with several local galleries. In 1982, he asked Andy Warhol to create art based on an ancient Greek statue. This was for a big art show about Alexander the Great. In 1984, Iolas gave 47 modern artworks from his own collection to the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art. He promised to give even more art later.
In 1984, he also asked Warhol to make a series of paintings. These were based on Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, The Last Supper. These works were shown in Milan just a few months before both Iolas and Warhol passed away.
From 1985 until his death in 1987, some Greek newspapers treated Iolas unfairly. They made false claims about him. He was accused of some wrongdoings, but these accusations were later found to be untrue. Many famous people from around the world supported Iolas during this time.
Personal Life and Legacy
Alexander Iolas passed away on June 8, 1987, in New York. He died due to health issues. A special service was held for him in New York.
His long-time partner, André Mourgues, said that Iolas was a very positive person. He loved life and art more than anything. After Iolas died, his home in Athens, called Villa Iolas, was sadly looted and fell apart. Iolas had hoped it would become a museum, but the Greek government did not make this happen.
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Alexander Iolas
