Collector without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best

The American art collector Norton Simon assembled his astonishing collection of more than 8,000 artworks in just thirty-five years. In 1966, with no permanent home for the growing collection, Simon created his “museum without walls” program—lending works to American museums—which continued until 1974, when his collection was housed in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, today considered one of the finest museums in the United States.

This beautiful book gives the history of Simon’s art collection, including the most interesting acquisitions and deaccessions. It describes Simon’s early life and business career, chronicles the collection’s development until his last purchase in 1989, and analyzes the collection and the collector. A fully illustrated catalogue of artworks, including those deaccessioned, completes the account. The book draws from the archives of the Norton Simon Museum and transcripts of interviews with friends, colleagues, art dealers, and museum professionals, as well as unpublished writings by Norton Simon.