Trading Beauty

Valentina Castellani’s extensive knowledge of the art world and market is shaped by a distinguished career spanning leading roles at Sotheby’s auction house and Gagosian gallery, and as an independent dealer. During her tenure as deputy director at Sotheby’s in London and New York, she was instrumental in launching the inaugural 20th-Century Italian Sale, and played a key role in securing landmark works of art from major private collections. She subsequently spent eleven years as senior director at Gagosian in New York, where she spearheaded the organization of some of the gallery’s most acclaimed exhibitions, including major shows dedicated to Francis Bacon, Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, and Pablo Picasso. Since departing Gagosian in 2016, Castellani has focused on the secondary market for postwar and contemporary art. In 2019, she joined the faculty of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University as an adjunct professor in the Master’s program in Visual Arts Administration. She serves on the board of Casa Italiana at NYU and is cochair of the board of the Drawing Center. She lives in New York with her husband.