Founded in 1928 by industrialist and philanthropist Dr. Armand Hammer, Hammer Galleries is among the oldest galleries in New York City. The gallery quickly rose to prominence when, in the early 1930s, it exhibited the world-famous Russian Imperial Easter Eggs by celebrated court jeweler Karl Fabergé. After beginning with a primary focus on Russian icons, Imperial porcelains and rare art objects, i
n the 1960’s Hammer shifted its focus to 19th and 20th century European and American artists. In 2010, Hammer Galleries moved to new premises at 475 Park Avenue, New York. Hammer's change in location was accompanied by an expansion of its focus. Major recent exhibitions include: "Modern Masters: Paris and Beyond", "On Paper: Works by Impressionist, Modern and Post-War Masters", "Objects in Space: Léger, Miró, Calder", "The Modern Muse: Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture by Twentieth-Century Masters", and "Matisse & Picasso", all of which have been accompanied by full-color catalogs with scholarly and biographical essays. As of September 2015, the gallery has relocated to the beautiful Didier Aaron townhouse at 32 East 67th Street in the Upper East Side Historic District. Hammer continues to concentrate on Impressionist and Modern masters, while now also handling important works by Post-War masters. Howard Shaw, who began his career at Hammer Galleries in 1981, is the current President and Director.
