Ann Freedman Net Worth – $5 million
What is Ann Freedman’s net worth? Who is Ann Freedman’s husband?
Introduction
Ann Freedman is a US art gallery owner and art dealer.
She is best known for her time as the director of the Knoedler Gallery during its infamous art forgery scandal.
The Origin Story
Freedman was born Ann Fertig in Scarsdale, New York, in 1949.
Her exact date of birth is not known.
She is the daughter of Hilda and Felix C. Fertig, the latter of whom worked in real estate.
Freedman was a student at Green Acres Elementary School in Scarsdale.
During her time there, she distinguished herself as an accomplished shooter, and won first place in a shooting contest.
She graduated from Scarsdale High School circa 1968.
Freedman attended Washington University following high school, where she studied painting. She graduated with a BFA in painting in 1971.
Knoedler Gallery
@Getty
Freedman had a humble start in the art world, working reception at André Emmerich’s gallery for a time.
She then relocated to Knoedler Gallery, where she worked as a salesperson.
Freedman impressed in her time at the gallery and swiftly rose through the ranks to become director.
She became known as the “face of Knoedler.”
She was renowned for her salesmanship, and one of her colleagues remarked that whenever a client entered her office, it was virtually guaranteed that they’d be leaving with a new piece for their collection.
Freedman was a much-admired figure during her tenure as director of Knoedler, but she also drew some criticism.
Some described her as a ‘fabulist’ that invented stories and bought into her own tall tales.
Others remarked that she was ruthless and possessed a vindictive streak.
Knoedler Forgery Scandal
Freedman was one of the key figures at the center of the storm that was the 2009 Knoedler Forgery Scandal.
Freedman made the acquaintance of con artist Glafira Rosales at some point in the 90s.
Rosales managed to convince Freeman that she had a mystery client who had inherited a hitherto-unknown cache of paintings by such names as Alfonso Ossorio, Clyfford Still, and Jackson Pollock.
In actuality, Rosales was purchasing forgeries from a Chinese artist who was working out of a studio in New York.
Freedman was later criticized by other art dealers for her blasé attitude toward verifying the forged paintings, including the fact that she often claimed that art historians had verified paintings.
Several such historians, when asked about the forged paintings later, denied Freedman’s claims that they had verified any of the paintings in question.
Freedman was removed from her position as director of the Knoedler in October 2009.
She was also subpoenaed by the FBI as part of their investigation into Rosales.
Though her conduct came into question (and she was asked to resign from Knoedler), Freedman herself was never charged with a crime.
Knoedler closed in 2011.
FreedmanArt
Freedman later opened her own gallery – ‘FreedmanArt’ – in 2011.
Though it is ostensibly still open, no new exhibitions have been listed on the gallery’s website since 2019.
Documentary
In 2020, Freedman was featured in the documentary — “Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art.”
It was written and directed by Barry Avrich and details the largest art fraud in American history.
Husband
Freedman became engaged to Robert Freedman, a media planner, in 1972.
Ann Freedman, David Neil, and Robert Freedman – @Getty
The couple got married later in the same year.
They have no children.
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Ann Freedman – Net Worth & Salary
So, how much is Ann Freedman worth?
Freedman earned most of her wealth from working 31 years for Knoedler Gallery in New York City.
Ann Freedman’s annual salary at Knoedler Gallery was $300,000.
From the sale of the Rosales works, Freedman received $10.4 million.
In 2012, Freedman and the gallery were sued by Italian millionaire Domenico De Sole for selling him a fake Mark Rothko for $8.3 million. De Sole and his wife were seeking $25 million.
Eleonora De Sole and Domenico De Sole – @Getty
The lawsuit was settled in 2016.
“Ann never wanted to keep a penny of the profits she made [from inauthentic works],” said her lawyer Luke Nikas.
“Ann Freedman had an amazing reputation,” Domenico De Sole said during the trial. He added: “I had no reason to believe I wasn’t being careful.”
Freedman also made some money from managing her own gallery –“FreedmanArt.”
Therefore, Ann Freedman has an estimated net worth of $5 million.
FAQs
What happened to Knoedler Gallery?
Knoedler Gallery, one of the oldest and most reputable galleries in New York, closed abruptly in 2011 after being accused of selling fake art. The scandal shook the art world and raised questions about the legitimacy of the gallery and its practices.
In response to this scandal, many galleries have begun implementing more stringent authentication procedures before purchasing or selling artwork. This includes conducting thorough research into each piece’s provenance and having experts authenticate works before they are put up for sale or exhibited publicly.
Was Ann Freedman convicted?
Ann Freedman has never actually been convicted despite being named as a defendant in several lawsuits related to fraudulent sales at Knoedler Gallery while she was its director.
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