We spoke with Guillaume Kientz, appointed CEO and Director of the Hispanic Society Museum and Library in early 2021. He was previously curator of European art at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Namely, he was the curator of Spanish and Latin American art at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Kientz is now spearheading the restoration and restoration efforts of the Hispanic Society. The multi-year plan will see the museum’s main building reopen in March of this year.
He is also preparing the museum’s exhibition “Masterpieces in Work: Joaquín Sorolla’s Gouache for a Spanish Vision” to mark the 100th anniversary of the artist’s death. is shown. The show will open on January 17th and will run until April 16th.
Kientz, who lives in an art-filled apartment in Washington Heights not far from the museum, told Artnet News about the driving force behind his collection.

Image courtesy of Guillaume Kientz.
What is your first purchase?
17th century Italian pastels sold for 19th century French pastels. I paid 100 euros and still have it.

French 19th-century paintings adorn the walls of Kienz apartments. Image courtesy of Guillame Kientz.
What are your recent purchases?
painting by [17th-century] An unknown French artist who was a close aide to the Le Nain brothers, the Master of the Procession. How many geeks can you get?

What works or artists would you like to add to your collection this year?
A work by a young Spanish artist from Brooklyn called Martí Cormand.
What is the most expensive work of art you own?
For what I paid, or for what it’s worth? If I like it, it’s worth the month.
Where do you buy art most often?
I buy most of my art online or spend hours browsing galleries.
Are there any works that you regret buying?
Yes, I resold it for the exact same price a few years later. A painting of the Holy Family by 18th-century French painter Louis-Jean-François Lagrénée. I didn’t like it.

What is the piece hanging over the sofa? What about in the bathroom?
Entitled Very Large Painting by French painter Claude d’Arbanne drawl sitting on my sofa Art rarely goes well with humidity.
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