Hugo Helbing

Description

Hugo Helbing (1863-1938) was a prominent German art dealer and antiquarian. In 1885, he established his own auction house in Munich, Kunsthandlung Hugo Helbing, which over time became one of the most influential in Germany, later expanding to branches in Berlin and Frankfurt. Throughout his career, he collaborated with other notable dealers and antiquarians, including Paul Cassirer. Helbing served as an intermediary between private collectors, museums, and artists. His firm was distinguished by the high quality and authenticity of its pieces, many of which came from significant private collections, thus solidifying its status as a centre of reference for antiquarians and collectors alike. However, his career was tragically interrupted by the antisemitic persecution under the Nazi regime. In 1938, his business was expropriated, and he was subsequently arrested and murdered that same year.